


People Changes People (And That's What Changes Our Story)

by OnceUponAThunder



Series: Life Is Something that Happens (Between Werewolves and Magic) [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Canon Rewrite, F/M, Gen, Lydia Martin & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Lydia Martin & Stiles Stilinski are Siblings, M/M, Mates Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Other, Step-parents, Step-siblings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-08 20:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 36,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13465539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnceUponAThunder/pseuds/OnceUponAThunder
Summary: Stiles' life turns upside down when his best friend becomes a werewolf. A door to a whole new world has been open, with that dangers and secrets will emerge, some of those from his own past.How will he hide this from his genius stepsister? That's chaos ensure; then again, certain Sourwolf might be worth it.





	1. Wolf Moon

**Wolf Moon**

"Guys! I'm going out! Behave!"

Two set of footsteps could be heard as soon as the banging door stopped. One light and the other attempting to be soft but failing miserably.

The first was coming out from a room in the second floor, the second came out of the kitchen. Both of the runaway teenagers stopped dead a couple of steps close to the front door. Green eyes gazed into honey brown ones, both locked in a silent conversation.

"I'll drive you but you have to promise you won't tell a soul," the owner of the honey eyes whispered.

"Only if you promise not to rat me out."

"You wound me My Queen," said the boy in a hurt tone which was completely fake in the girl's ears.

Once in the car, they felt relaxed enough to talk.

"Where to?"

"Jax. Where are you going?"

"It's better if you don't know. And really Lydia? Nat is out of town, dad is working late and you're going to meet with that idiot?"

"I don't question your decisions. Don't criticize mine," The redhead could only huff at Stiles' words. She knew Jackson wasn't nice to Stiles but she loved him.

They drove silently until they got to the big pretentious house of the Whittemoore's.

As Lydia was getting out of the Jeep Stiles spoke once more, "Remember to be at home before 3am. Dad always tries to get out of the station around that time with calls like this."

Lydia nodded with her head, she regaled Stiles with a soft smile before turning to keep her walk. They were trying to be siblings, she thought. They fought but they also looked after each other, even if it was for breaking the rules.

* * *

It took Stiles another 15 minutes to get to his destination. As soon as he got to the house he saw some lights inside. Unsure about who might or might not be inside he decided to climb up to a second floor window. As he was climbing up he realized something. He couldn't move his freaking leg, in an attempt to free the said limb he couldn't help himself but flailing.

And that was how he ended up facing his friend. Upside down.

"Stiles, what the hell are you doing?" yelled the teenage boy, shaking the bat he was holding.

"You weren't answering your phone. Why do you have a bat?" Asked Stiles, hanging limply.

"I thought you were a predator."

"A pre..." He couldn't really believe his friend sometimes. "Look, I know it's late, but you gotta hear this. I saw my dad leave twenty minutes ago. Dispatch called. They're bringing in every officer from the Beacon Department, and even state police."

"For what?"

"Two joggers found a body in the woods."

"A dead body?"

"No, a body of water. Yes, dumbass, a dead body."

"You mean like, murdered?"

"Nobody knows yet. Just that it was a girl, probably in her twenties."

"Hold on, if they found the body, then what are they looking for?"

"That's the best part. They only found half." After a pause and a maniacal grin he added, "We're going."

* * *

 

"We're seriously doing this?" The crooked-jaw teen asked.

"You're the one always bitching that nothing ever happens in this town."

"I was trying to get a good night's sleep before practice tomorrow."

"Right, 'cause sitting on the bench is such a grueling effort," Stiles was growing tired of this topic.

"No, because I'm playing this year. In fact, I'm making first line."

"Hey, that's the spirit. Everyone should have a dream, even a pathetically unrealistic one."

"Aren't you supposed to be excited too? You could be on the team too if you tried! We've been spending a lot of time training because Lydia insisted on it."

Stiles turned to look at Scott as if just to make a point. "That's the thing isn't it? I'm on the team for almost everyone but myself!"

Scott could feel the path where the conversation was heading to. Ever since Lydia and Natalie had moved in with Stiles and the sheriff, Stiles had done everything in his power to make everyone happy. And after an stupid comment of his own about trying to get on the Lacrosse team, Stiles found himself trying too at his family encouragement. Stiles didn't hate Lacrosse per say—Scott was sure of it but the pressure was too much at times he decided.

Trying to change subject he asked next. "Just out of curiosity, which half of the body are we looking for?"

"Huh! I didn't even think about that."

"And, what if whoever killed the body is still out here?"

"Also something I didn't think about."

A breathless Scott commented annoyed; "It's comforting to know you've planned this out." Feeling himself starting to gasp and wheeze he said, "Maybe the severe asthmatic should be the one holding the flashlight, huh?"

They walked some more until they found the police also searching in the woods and Stiles went ahead.

"Wait, come on! Stiles! Wait up! Stiles! Stiles!" whispered Scott.

"Hold it right there!" Someone yelled.

A flashlight blinded Stiles.

"Hang on, hang on. This little delinquent belongs to me," said the sheriff with a resigned face.

Dogs kept barking around them. "Dad, how are you doing?"

"So, do you listen to all of my phone calls?"

"No!" After a moment, he added. "Not the boring ones."

"Now, where's your usual partner in crime?"

"Who, Lydia? She doesn't even know where I'm at."

"Stiles!"

"Oh! You meant Scott! Scott's home. He said he wanted to get a good night's sleep for the first day back at school tomorrow. It's just me. In the woods. Alone."

"Scott, you out there? Scott?" Hearing no response or any type of noise from the surrounding darkness, the shieff sighed and addressed his son with displeasure steeping in his voice. "Well, young man, I'm gonna walk you back to your car and you and I are gonna have a conversation about something called invasion of privacy."

* * *

 

It hadn't been more than five minutes of driving for her to speak. The silence in the jeep wasn't anything like the night before. It had been just a little bit awkward and just begging to be broken.

"You're grounded."

"Yep."

"A dead body in the woods?"

"No! A body of knowledge!"

"Don't take that tone with me!"

"Sorry."

"That's seriously morbid!"

"I already feel bad enough Lyds."

"Noah wasn't that rough from what I heard."

"You haven't been on the end of his disappointed look. And after I left Scott, he got bitten by something so I'm really the worst everything today."

"Ewww, he has to get his shots. And you're not the worst brother yet. But I would like for my boyfriend not to make fun of you if you suck at training today."

"Scott wants to get in first line this season."

"He has severe asthma. You will get in before him and you barely try."

They got to school within the first bell. Lydia went to her clique and Stiles to Scott.

It wasn't until before practice he saw her again.

Lydia was talking to the new girl Scott seemed to be obsessing over and someone was complaining about how the new girl was already on Lydia's clique with an annoying tone.

Some of the things Stiles heard about Lydia when he had an ear out fueled a fire inside of him. The same kind that would make him look for a way to protect her just like he would do for his dad and Scott, even Melissa and Natalie. No one knew Lydia, and no one had the right to believe any of the things that were being said about her.

It had been almost a whole year since the Martin girls moved in and he felt quite fiercely for them. Natalie made his dad happy, helped Stiles with his father's health and had become a real support for him. Lydia, even with their rough start and her attitude outside their home, had become his confident, even more so than Scott. She was the first person he came out to, which apparently wasn't a surprise and as much as Stiles considered himself bisexual he knew Lydia was right about the fact that he's definitely a bit more gay in the Kinsey Scale. She was there for him when he came out to his dad and Natalie and as much as she was annoyed by him he was sure they cared for each other very deeply.

So the only thing he was able to do was glare at the girl who was talking shit about Lydia and telling her off. A clear case of satisfaction coursed through him as the girl scurried away.

* * *

 

Lydia was sitting on the bleachers with Allison as she tried to explain the basics of the game.

"Who's that?" asked Allison as Scott made his way to the goal.

Lydia sighed, resigned "Scott McCall. My brother's best friend. Stepbrother actually. He's the one on the bench. They suck."

After ten minutes of some amazing catches from Scott, Allison turned to Lydia with a grin. "He doesn't suck!"

"Ha! Believe me, I'm quite surprised," And suspicious added the red-head to herself.

* * *

"I don't know what it was. It was like I had all the time in the world to catch the ball. And that's not the only weird thing. I can hear stuff I shouldn't be able to hear. Smell things."

"Smell things? Like what?"

"Like Mint Mojito gum in your pocket."

"I don't even have any Mint Mojito," Stiles started checking his pockets and surprisingly found the gum. "So all this started with a bite."

"What if it's like an infection? Like my body's flooding with adrenaline before I go into shock or something?"

"You know what? I actually think I've heard of this. It's a specific kind of infection."

"Are you serious?" Scott said, feeling both relieved and scared.

"Yeah, I think it's called lycanthropy," the matter of fact tone Stiles was using was soothing to his friend.

Scott could count on his best friend to always have an answer.

"What's that? Is that bad?"

"Oh, yeah, it's the worst. But only once a month."

"Once a month?"

"Mmm-hmm. On the night of the full moon. Aroooo! Hey, man Hey, you're the one who heard a wolf howling," Stiles couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, there could be something seriously wrong with me," Scott was mad. He loved Stiles but his best friend didn't take anything seriously.

"I know! You're a werewolf! Okay, obviously I'm kidding." Still laughing, he added, "But if you see me in shop class trying to melt all the silver I can find, it's 'cause Friday's a full moon."

They had finally found the spot Scott was looking for.

"No, I could have sworn this was it. I saw the body, the deer came running. I dropped my inhaler."

"Maybe the killer moved the body."

"If he did, I hope he left my inhaler.Those things are like eighty bucks."

They were both on the ground looking for the inhaler when they noticed that someone else was there, with them.

Stiles could only look at the man in front of them. Dark hair, broad shoulders, piercing eyes, and if Stiles hadn't figured out he was bisexual a long time ago, he definitely would be having a crisis now.

"What are you doing here? Huh? This is private property." He so didn't have a thing for voices. Not at all...

"Uh, sorry, man, we didn't know."

"Yeah, we were just looking for something, but uh, forget it. "

It was when Mr. tall, broody, and Handsome threw Scott's inhaler their way before walking away from them that a click went off in Stiles' memories.

"All right, come on, man, I gotta get to work."

"Dude, that was Derek Hale. You remember, right? He's only like a few years older than us."

"Remember what?"

"His family. They all burned to death in a fire, like, 5 years ago. I wonder what he's doing back here."

But that wasn't all he remembered.

He remembered some of his mother's delirious tales about the Hales on her last days.

Talia Hale on Claudia's funeral.

He remembered the night of the fire, not long after his mom's death. Derek and Laura on the station, their crying, their sorrow; the way he wanted to hold them and take away their pain. That need to protect the remaining members of the family; as if a deep connection long gone had awaken at the sight.

He remembered all.

_Or so he thought._

* * *

 

Scott was a werewolf.

Scott McCall, his best friend, was a freaking werewolf.

One who had almost killed him moments ago —okay, that's overreacting but still—and one who had also left claw marks on his desk chair. He loved that chair.

He needed help. This was definitely not something he could do on his own. As he rushed to tide everything left from his researches so he didn't notice the strawberry blonde figure standing by the threshold.

"What are you doing?"

Taken by surprise Stiles couldn't help the shriek that came out of him. "Good god, Lydia! Make a sound next time!"

"So, what's up with you? You are acting weird."

"Nothing is going on here, everything is just peachy. I just need to go out for a second."

"Okay. But the moment you are back we need to talk about this new abilities Scott seems to have acquired over night."

"I have no idea what you..."

After a pause Lydia asked with a serious voice. "Please, just tell me it's not drugs."

Stiles stopped in his tracks to look at Lydia. "It's not. But I'm kinda hurt you actually thought that," He took his phone and keys. "So if you excuse me, I'll go cry somewhere else."

"Where are you going? My party at Jackson's is in two hours!"

"Out. But don't worry. I'll be back soon enough."

He ran out of the house as Lydia yelled some comment about his clothes but he decided to ignore it and started the jeep. He drove like a mad man until he got to the burned remains of the old Hale house.

"Derek Hale! I know you're in there!" He yelled. "I know you know what's happening with my friend. I need your help."

He waited for a second without an answer, kept waiting. "Please," he whispered more to himself than to anyone else. "Please I need help."

But even if he wasn't trying, he was still heard.

"What do you think you know?"

The voice didn't come from the house but from behind him.

Stiles jumped and gave an squeak at the voice. "Lord dude! Put a bell on!" He turned and there he was; Derek Hale with his piercing eyes and chiseled cheekbones. Yep, this man would be Stiles' undoing.

With all his courage, Stiles answered, "You're a werewolf. And somehow my best friend is one too. And he won't believe that something is happening to him. I need your help."

Those beautiful pale green eyes looked back. A glare was directed to him as if his mere existence annoyed the hell out of the guy. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Whatever that nonsense is about I don't care."

"Hey, you have to help me! You have a hand in this, I know it!"

"Give me a reason why I should listen to you, let alone help you," growled Derek.

"My mother once said that if something ever happened to me and things didn't make sense with any kind of logic I could always trust in a Hale." Why was he breathing so hard? "It was one of the most insisted requests she made me do before I lost her. I always thought they were only delusions, crazy thoughts, but a lot of weird shit has happened and you are the only Hale around."

This made Derek face flatter.

He turned around faster than Stiles could follow with his eyes and from one second to another he was pinned to a tree and kaleidoscope eyes looked at the honey brown ones; then a flickered of recognition went through the pale eyes and Stiles was certain he saw some sort of hope in them too. As fast as that had come it left without a trace. Derek let Stiles down and gave him a brooding frown which moments later softened. "What do you want?"

"I need help with Scott..."

"Your friend, I know. He was bitten by the Alpha."

Stiles wanted to ask what he meant but there were more important things. "No! You don't! The full moon is tonight. But the only thing he wants to go the party my sister is hosting. All he wants is to go on a stupid date, with a new girl who makes him lose control of his hormones! I don't know about you but I think that's a recipe for disaster."

"You're right."

"Of course I'm right! Wait, what?"

"You are right. The full moon is tonight and there's no way your friend won't lose control."

"So you're gonna help me?" asked an impressed Stiles. "I thought it would be harder to convince you."

"Just drive and tell me what you know on the way."

"Has anyone told you you are a charmer Wolfman?" Snarked Stiles as the wolf pushed him to his car.

* * *

 

Derek didn't know what in all the hell he was doing. Laura would be laughing her ass off if she could see him right now. Who knew, she probably was. He was going to a high school party to find a recently bitten teen wolf who was on denial of his situation, in a beat down jeep that seemed way too familiar and with a loud babbling whiskey-eye sixteen year old boy who also was tremendously familiar. Which made the next situation confusing.

This pale skinny defenseless boy beside him was his _mate_.

And as much of a problem that was there was also something bigger.

He already knew that scent, his mate's scent was supposed to be unique to his wolf; the first time catching that scent was supposed to be like a lightning bolt hitting him square in the chest, intoxicating and filled with the uncontrollable need to claim. And it is true it was a feeling of that sort what came over him when he had Stiles against the tree but it was more of a banging recognition than a discovery.

And of course there was also the fact that, this boy, his mate, had a pair of honey brown eyes Derek once had known. Someone he couldn't really remember.

This whole trip was becoming a nightmare. His sister was dead, murdered by some power hungry wolf he couldn't find; a teenage wolf turned by said Alpha who also seemed to be best friend with his mate, which apparently was already known by his wolf.

"We're here," he was pulled out of his thoughts hearing Stiles' voice rambling about how annoying it was to come to those things but he had to because his stepsister always planned these kind of parties and even if they barely talked around high school she always asked him to be there. Then, he went on about the thing he disliked more than this kind of party was the stuff his stepmother organized which made him and Lydia -who Derek assumed to be the stepsister- look like some sort of socialite kids around those kind of people. He went on about how Lydia seemed to fit but he just hated it.

Somehow even with the loud music of the party, he still could focus on Stiles and keep him close. A whiff of his scent passed by Derek and it took a lot of Derek not to grab the boy and claim him. He was just a boy and he was not her. He wouldn't!

They got to the back of the house near a pool and he located the young wolf dancing with a girl. He pointed them to Stiles and catching him off guard, Stiles took him by the shoulders and started dancing while getting close to the couple. Without even thinking twice, he grabbed Stiles by the hips and held him closer.

Stiles turned to him like a deer in the headlights but Derek could still smell the arousal emanating off Stiles and as intoxicating as it was they were on a mission and...

"What are you doing here?" a voice said from beside them. He turned to see Scott looking at both of them with mad eyes.

"Dancing! Duh!" said Stiles. His attention passed to Allison and with a smile, he added, "And you must be Allison! I've heard so much about you from Scott and Lydia!"

The girl seemed to be taken by surprise but she regained her composure and smiled, "You must be Stiles! Lydia's brother!"

"The one and only."

Suddenly Derek felt Scott getting mad and losing control. He turned to Scott and grabbed Stiles a bit harder to catch his attention.

"Scott! Are you alright? Is it an asthma attack?"

"What?" The question came from Allison.

Before anything could happen, Derek took Scott by the shoulder, immediately missing Stiles's warmth and started to guided the younger wolf out of the house.

He could hear Stiles calming Allison and offering her a ride.

He turned to see Scott who was losing control faster and faster. Well he decided, this was going to be a hell of a night.

* * *

 

Hours later Stiles kept pacing in his room without any kind of news. He felt like losing his mind. Lydia had decided to stay at Jackson's and his dad was on a night shift. He was alone in the house and he couldn't do anything at all.

A window flew open and suddenly Derek was in his room. The memory of their dancing earlier that night pass through his thoughts and who could blame him? He was a teenager and Derek was probably the fantasy of every person on earth.

Derek didn't say anything but for a moment his eyes looked hungry but a second later his patented brooding face was in place. "Your friend is fine. We had a run in with some hunters but everything is okay now."

"Oh my god! Thank you dude!"

Derek nodded. "Well, my job here is done."

"Wait! No no no, you have to help us! Scott needs to learn to control whatever this is and we can't do this alone! Besides, I have a hunch that you're doing something else here? Maybe looking for whoever bit Scott? 'Cause I doubt that it was you, at least judging by how you've acted. We don't trust each other but we might as well try!"

Derek's gaze softened; he knew he couldn't do it alone. He needed Scott and his connection to the Alpha. But he had hoped for Stiles to stay away, he didn't deserve a mate; not after what he had done, but it seemed by the way his fierce honey brown eyes shone he would not stay away and eventually he would probably get himself killed. This way Derek could protect him. Derek sat down in Stiles' desk chair trying to avoid the young man's gaze.

Since the fire he had never opened up to anyone. He couldn't trust. But he knew that the situation was already too complicated just by himself and trusting his wolf he said "My sister came here a couple of days ago. She didn't say why and I had promised myself to never come back but when I felt the pack bond breaking I knew it, she had been killed."

"She was the body," said Stiles in a breath.

"Yes. Werewolves are divided into Alphas, our leaders are the only ones able to give the Bite; there are Betas like Scott and I; then there are the Omegas who don't have a pack. After my mother's death, Laura became the Alpha but the wolf who killed her took the Alpha Spark from her and turned your friend. I need to kill him. He's probably trying to create a pack but it feels like they are feral somehow. I need to take him down before things get ugly. That's why you should stay away."

"Are you kidding me?" jumped Stiles. "That thing hurt my friend, it's probably all around going on a killing spree, my dad will probably be looking for it and you want me to stay away? Newsflash Sourwolf, I'm in this whether you like it or not, dude! I don't really trust you but you felt honest enough I guess."

Derek gave him a hard look. "First, don't call me dude and second, if you're getting into this, you'll do it by my rules. Your friend doesn't trust me and I might need help with that but there's no way in hell I'll let you get involved!"

"We'll have to agree to disagree, but I'll do what I can with Scotty."

Derek could only roll his eyes. He was doomed.


	2. Second Chance at First Line

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Here it is! The second chapter of the second part of the serie "Life is Something that Happens (Between Werewolf and Magic)!
> 
> First I'm going to answer some comments left by guests. The first guest is actually from BFAT, who asked about how Stiles' aunt could be called 'Garcia'. For those who don't know Penelope Garcia is one of the main characters and the Technical Analyst of Criminal Minds (one of my favorite series since I was nine!). I won't lie, this whole story will have, if not full crossovers, definitely some cameos of series like OUAT, Grimm, CM, Castle and I want Stiles meeting Raymond Reddington! If you have ideas of other series or movies and the like, please say so!
> 
> Next is another comment that asked for 'more details and descriptions'; I want to know what sort of details do you mean, maybe that way I can see how to work it out... about the descriptions that's something personal! I like for the readers to create and imagine how some things are! I like to read an story with descriptions but I'm not good at those and I prefer for that to go through your minds like you think it may be! That's what stories are about, imagination!
> 
> I really hope you liked the last chapter and for you to enjoy this one!
> 
> Once again thanks to my wonderful Beta, CosmicStarlight21!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owner.

 

**Second Chance at First Line**

It was almost daylight when Stiles found Scott walking down the road. He looked like a mess and Stiles cursed Derek for leaving his friend all alone; then again, Scott didn't seem to be too grateful or welcoming to the older wolf, Stiles couldn't really blame him. Both of them seemed to be way too hard headed for their own good.

Soon enough Scott was in the jeep whining about Allison and Stiles was definitely annoyed by that. How could Scott be so focused on a girl he barely knew when their life had taken such turn. They had found out about a whole new world right before their noses! He was a freaking werewolf! There was some crazy Alpha out for blood and the only thing his friend could think about was a girl!

Forget the hunters and the crazy Alpha;  _he_  was going to kill Scott!

* * *

This was a complete nightmare thought Scott as he entered the locker room. Allison's father was a hunter. One who had shot him an arrow! How the hell was this his life?

As soon as he saw Stiles he started to really freak out. Luckily enough his friend was able to distract him and, as much as he was mad at Stiles for going to Derek, he knew his friend still had his back.

He got into the field and into the line still thinking about Allison and her father. But as soon as Jackson knocked him down and coach started whispering complaints about his speed plus some other shit about a dead grandmother, he could only feel rage going through his veins. With the loss of control and the rage coursing inside him he barely noticed himself hurting Jackson and then Stiles then taking him to the lockers.

Suddenly the wolf took over and the next thing he knew his friend was shooting a fire extinguisher at him. He could barely believe how he had almost killed his best friend.

After that Stiles started to ramble about how his rising pulse could cause the loss of control, how he couldn't play the game that Saturday and how he could just end up killing someone. This was so messed up. A freaking nightmare!

* * *

Derek was going to kill that boy. He was practically outing them to the world and had come so close to killing his  _mate_! As much as Derek tried to deny it and fight the pull to the boy he wouldn't let the young wolf do anything to Stiles.

True, his mate was annoying, loud, way too forward, with what seemed to be a mild death wish and simply too young; and he wouldn't be  _her_ ; no matter how tempting Stiles seemed to be to his wolf; and much to his remorse to him.

He was about to rip Scott's head when he heard a fire extinguisher going off, his wolf growing proud of the way his mate had just defended himself from the recently turned wolf so out of control. It looked like Stiles was not as defenseless as he looked.

This was not going to end here. He was going to put the crooked-jaw wolf in his place. He wouldn't kill him, after all he still needed him to find the Alpha, and there was the probability of Stiles hating him for life. Maybe a bit of threats here and there would do the trick. He just hoped for the teen to actually listen. He groaned to himself. How he hated teenagers.

* * *

Stiles was talking with Scott on video call informing him about Jackson's state which had come from a very upset Lydia who had stomped in the kitchen while a just-arrived Natalie was helping him make dinner. Lydia seemed to be blaming him for Scott's assault on Jackson and made him go through an awkward dinner with his dad, who looked dead on his feet, and a very confused Natalie. Worst of all, after dinner, Lydia kept ignoring him until she threw the door in his face.

As he kept talking to Scott he looked at the screen and noticed an figure behind his friend. Fear went through him. He tried to zoom the image but it got him nowhere. And as he warned Scott his computer froze the image cursing over and over again. What if it was the Alpha? Or some freaking hunter who had found out? He was starting to freak out when the video restarted and Scott read the message but just as soon as Scott turned to look behind him he was crashed against a wall and taken out of Stiles' view.

Just when Stiles was about to yell for Scott he heard a very familiar voice. Even though Derek seemed to be rough with Scott, Stiles relaxed just a tiny bit. He knew Derek wouldn't hurt Scott.

At least not too much.

Derek had said he still needed Scott to find the Alpha and Scott didn't trust Derek but something inside Stiles told him the older wolf was not really their enemy, a bit messed up and way too brooding but not evil.

"I saw you on the field." He barely could hear Derek talking. "I heard how you almost killed your friend. You have no control!"

"What you talking about?" Yelled Scott pressed to the wall.

"You shifted in front of them! If they found out what you are, they will would find out about me, about  _all_  of us. It won't be just the hunters after us. It's everyone."

"They didn't see anything! I swear!"

"And they won't! Because if you even try to play that game on Saturday; I'm going to kill you myself." Stiles almost missed that last part and he could've hit himself. How was that man so much of an idiot?

Without a second thought he closed the video call and started typing as fast as he could. He wasn't a genius. And not really gifted with computers but every time he had the chance he took advantage of the knowledge his aunt Penelope would gift him with.

It usually came with the speech of how he should never use it to help evil forces and to be careful with it. He knew it was mostly because of his dad since he was aware his aunt hadn't always been on the good side of the law.

Soon enough he found what he needed; hopefully not breaking many laws. He pressed the numbers on his phone and made the call. After a brief second a gruff voice answered. "What?"

He couldn't really help what he said next. "That's how you answer you phone? How welcoming!"

"Stiles," his name came as a growl and Stiles would forever deny it but the way Derek said his name went right to his dick. The memory of the night before at the party came to him. But his thoughts were cut off by the object of his fantasy spoke again "How the hell did you get my number?"

"What the hell were you thinking?" Shrieks Stiles completely ignoring Derek's question. "If you really want Scott on your side threatening him with death and maiming is not the way to go! Besides, you just said to a teenager he couldn't do something! That's like the stupidest thing ever!"

"I can't let him out the supernatural world Stiles!"

"Which is exactly why he needs you! But if you go around saying stuff about killing him he will never let you help him! And that's going to be a disaster! You said it yourself!"

"He almost killed you today, it will happen again but he has to embrace his wolf, he won't learn to fully control himself otherwise and as much as I might need his help I won't deal with some brat!"

Stiles took a breath before answering, he didn't agree with Derek in everything he had said but he also knew the other man was kind of right.

"Look, I know this is hard and all and that you're trying to help in your own weird way even though you don't really have to, but someone has to give in. I'll try to get Scott to budge but you can't just growl and expect for it to be it. You want help? Then you have to try better, I'm not saying you should become best buddies or for you to let people in, just don't push them away."

Derek sighed on the other side of the line as if it wasn't the first time he heard something like that but still not taking it in. "Just make sure your friend doesn't play." And with that Derek hung up.

Stiles kept looking at his phone until his door was roughly opened by ball of red anger wearing fluffy pajama bottoms and a blue t-shirt a size too big saying 'If I wanted to kill myself I would climb up to your ego and jump down to your IQ level', Stiles was sure that it had been his at some point in time.

"Look! I know none of this is your fault but you don't understand how important this is to me! My boyfriend got hurt by your friend and now he won't be in his best shape for the game. Do you know how important is the first game of the season? If we don't win this my boyfriend will be the captain of the looser team and his already mad because of it. And I won't let myself fall into that. It will fuck up everything with Jackson, and my image will be tainted. I know you don't care about this but I do!"

Stiles looked at Lydia for a full minute after her rant was over.

"Sometimes I just don't get you Lydia. You're a genius. You could go right now and do some mathematical or science-sy shit and get a freaking Nobel! You're so much better than all that people around you. You shouldn't allow Jackson to put you down or try to be less for him. You deserve so much better." Stiles took a deep breath and when he looked back at Lydia saw a tear falling down her cheek. "I'm really sorry about Scott, not because of Jackson, he was looking for it, but because of you. I know how much all of this shit means to you, even if I don't get it. It matters to you, so I'm sorry."

He went closer and took the red-head's face in his hands and cleaned away the treacherous tears that had fallen. Moments like these were the ones where Stiles felt like all the feelings he once thought he had had for Lydia Martin had been just deep admiration. This, Stiles thought was what had been meant to happen. His mother used to say that as much as we were the ones who create our own paths somethings were just  _meant_  to happen one way or another. Like as if it was  _written in the stars._

Seeing the strong and always put together Lydia Martin show her true emotions always brought out a caring side in Stiles.

It hadn't been the first time; that had been the moment she had found out her father was going to have a baby with his once mistress-turned-wife in the profile photo of said harpy who was showing up her bump while Lydia's father held in arms a blonde boy around 4 years old.

The bitch had tagged Lydia on the photo and the moment Lydia had seen the picture on her phone, while Stiles was reading a dissertation about something he couldn't really remember which the strawberry-blonde had shoved into his face fifteen minutes before, she broke down in tears. It took seconds for him to hold her against himself in an attempt to comfort her. That was the first time he felt it; how a piece of his heart went to the girl in his arms. He knew deep inside him this was something that was meant to happen. The caring love he had for Lydia, not romantically but fraternal. She was his sister, like it was meant to be all along.

He held Lydia even though she seemed to be completely fine already. He kissed the top of her head and add in a whisper "You're a blinding star in a sea of mere titling lights siostra"

A smile broke on Lydia's face, "I like when you speak polish. It feels right in a way." Leaving the gangly warmth of the arms holding her she walked to the door and without turning added, "dobranoc bracie."

* * *

Scott was grabbed roughly by Stiles in an attempt to eavesdrop on his father. When the wolf retold his friend what was being said he gave an exasperated huff.

"Unbelievable! My dad is out looking for a rabid animal while the Alpha who killed Laura is hanging around here doing whatever he wants."

"Wait! What?" Said the wolf not understanding what Stiles' was talking about.

Stiles realized what he had said and tried to explain to his friend the conversation with Derek the night of the full moon.

"He explained somethings, I hadn't told you cause you haven't been all that welcoming when the guy is mentioned but Derek told me that the body of the girl in the woods was Laura Hale, his sister and his Alpha. She came here for who knows what and when Derek couldn't get in contact with her, he came and discovered she was dead and whoever killed her became the Alpha who had bit you."

"What the hell? Alpha? How can you believe any of that Stiles?" Scott couldn't believe it. His friend had never been a trusting person but he was buying the shit Hale was saying? Well, he couldn't let Derek have any kind of control over his friend.

* * *

Stiles got into the McCall residence running like a madman. He had received a text from Scott with the words 'SOS home' on it. He throws the door of Scott's room open just to find him sitting in his bed and not mortally wounded as he had been expecting.

"What the hell man?!"

"I found something at Derek Hale's. I know that for some weird reason you trust him but I don't!"

Stiles sighed, "Scott, just stop."

When Scott saw the resigned frown on his friend he knew he would have to do things on his own.

"Why do you even trust him?"

"I don't know dude. I don't trust him completely but my gut tells me he's not the bad guy here."

"Some gut feeling is not enough!" Growled Scott and with nothing else to say he left his best friend alone.

* * *

Later that night Stiles was preparing a cup of tea for Natalie, who had just come back from a committee for a charity event, when the phone rang. He took the phone but before he could say a word he heard his father's voice answering. The deputy on the other side was talking urgently about an anonymous 911 call who stated that the half of the body they were looking was buried on the Hale property and that Derek Hale was the murderer.

Stiles heart had stopped. He didn't even realize his father had already left when he finally came back to, he grabbed Natalie's tea and in wearing his most innocent face went to the living room to give her the tea, and in a rush told her how he had noticed some 'vital' things missing without actually saying anything. As he was heading to the door Lydia came down the stairs and with a shout Natalie stopped him on the spot. 'Crap! She knew it' but then he heard her asking Lydia to accompany him to the drugstore so he wouldn't go alone.

When both of them were in the car Lydia turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"No questions asked," came out of his mouth,"do what I say and I'll owe you one."

Lydia looked at him for a second and then simply asked, "What do you need?"

"A look out."

She frowned in surprise "What are we? Eight?"

"In an interrogation room at the station."

"Why?"

"You promised. Don't ask."

"What about Noah?"

"He has to see to the body and then he has to go to the station. We have less then half an hour after the deputies bring the suspect into custody until dad gets in."

With sharp eyes she said, "It scares me how good you are with all this information."

Without losing much time they were a block away from the station and Stiles parked. They walked what was left and went in through the back door.

"Do I want to know how you stole that key?"

"It's not stolen! It's a copy."

Lydia looked at him waiting for him to tell her he was pulling her leg but when it never came she had to sigh, "Somehow I think that's worse."

Even if it was probably not the time Stiles couldn't help turning to look at her with a smirk and adding in a whisper, "I have keys for almost everything in this town."

They didn't have too long to wait before they saw two deputies bringing in Derek and leaving him in the interrogation room.

Stiles turned to Lydia who was looking at him with wide eyes but before she could say something he beat her to it. "Count down twenty minutes and then knock twice. If you see someone coming this way knock three times," without nothing more to say he got into the room.

As soon as he opened the door he saw Derek handcuffed to the table.

"Shit! This is bad."

Derek looked into his honey brown eyes with betrayal written across his face. "What did you do Stiles?"

Something inside Stiles seemed to break at the look Derek was giving him. "I swear I didn't do it Derek! Scott called me earlier saying some shit about how he found something and I refused to hear it and now this is all my fault! I'm  _so_  sorry!"

Derek kept looking at Stiles as he talked trying to hear his heartbeat for the lie to come. As usual Stiles' heartbeat went on with his own rhythm going up though not for a lie as Derek had thought. His scent was soured with guilt and a spike of anxiety stronger than the usual quota, the underlying smell of medicine was there too but Stiles's unique scent was buried on the scent of hurt that came from Stiles as he faced the wolf.

Derek couldn't help the whine that came out of him at the loss of his mate's scent under all his feelings. Without even thinking, as if it was instinct, Stiles got closer to Derek taking his hands. The older man squeezed their hands and at Stiles change of scent full of hope Derek's wolf went calm once again.

"I believe you. But the moment I'm out of here I'll rip that boy's head off!"

"Forget Scott! I'll deal with him! I'll do my best to stop him for playing if not just to keep him in control!"

"No Stiles! He doesn't have control! You'll get yourself killed!"

"No! Forget about me Derek! We have to think what you'll say to get out of here!"

" _Stiles_!"

"No! Listen! We don't have time! You have to play dumb in the interrogation. You'll say you had no idea that Laura was dead. She didn't contact you when she was supposed to and you freaked out and took a plane. It's what you told me what had happened anyway. That's your alibi! But don't make it sound like it, okay? So far that's the truth and this only works by telling half truths. Don't be specific! You're  _never_  specific with the truth. You have play as if you have no idea who might have tipped them but you didn't know Laura was  _there_. Get upset but not mad! Tell them how they should be looking at what happened to her. Guilt them into believing they have the wrong man. Understood?"

The wolf grabbed Stiles' hands when he was pulling away, green locked with brown and somehow without words Stiles understood him.

_Thank you. Be careful._

As if his hand had a mind of his own he took the wolf's face and caressed his cheek. Without breaking eye contact Derek welcomed the touch. Neither one of them really gets it. Derek, couldn't seem to hold back his instincts with Stiles and to Stiles, his brain simply stopped working around the wolf.

Two knocks came from the door and with a last look Stiles opened the door and left the room. Derek took a deep breath taking in the light scent Stiles had left. He could do this. For his mate.

* * *

Lydia waited for them to be back in the jeep to talk. It seemed funny how it felt like they only  _really_ talked while driving on the jeep or when they were home.

"How did you know what to say?" She asked lightly. She knew she had promised not to ask but she had to know.

Stiles did not question her for eavesdropping, "I've read some interrogations from old files, done research out of boredom. I just know."

"What is he to you?"

Stiles  _was_  waiting for that question and even then it took him by surprise. He went with the truth, this was Lydia, she saw his lies miles away.

"I don't know."

"You were together at the party. Allison mentioned about you dancing with an older guy but I was sure she was wrong."

"Lyds, just drop it please."

Lydia looked at him until he parked the jeep. "Just be careful." She got out of the jeep and waited for him. She took his arm as they walked and with a wicked grin she added "And if something happens I'll be the  _first_  to know cause I'll give it to you dear brother. That man is sex on legs!"

Stiles looked at Lydia with wide eyes and slight smile he scoffed. "You're  _so_  the worst!"

* * *

Scott turned to look at Stiles as the spaz came into the locker room.

"You gonna try to convince me not to play?"

"I just hope you know what you're doing. Telling you not to do it won't help, I know you. And besides, I'm still mad at you for what you did to Derek, it was a dick move, dude! The guy came to this freaking town looking for his sister only to found her dead. And then you come accusing him of murder. I don't know what's happening Scott, I just hope you can see reason."

"If I don't play I'll lose the first line and Allison."

"Allison is not going anywhere! And it's one game that you really don't have to play!"

"I wanna play! I wanna be on the team! I wanna go out with Allison! I want a semi freaking normal life! You get that?"

"I get it. But some things still stand! What you did to Derek..."

"Was wrong. I know he can help but I don't want him to tell me what to do."

"I get that! But he's the only person we can go to! And he's really pissed off!  _With reason_!"

"I'll apologize when I see him again. We still don't know if he killed that girl!"

"He didn't Scott. He was on a plane during the estimated time of the murder. He told me so, I checked online and soon enough my dad will get the forensic report and Derek will  _have_  an alibi."

"I'll apologize. And I'll try to trust him. For you, I guess. You're not trusting so maybe I can try."

"Thanks man." Stiles took a deep breath and change the subject to their problem at hand. "Just try not to worry too much on the game. Don't get to angry. Or stressed. Don't think about Allison or her father trying to kill you or that Derek is mad enough to also kill you or the beast who bit you or about you killing someone, that's if a hunter doesn't kill you first!" At Scott's face Stiles realized what was coming out of his mouth "I'm sorry, I'll stop."

* * *

Stiles was home alone. After the game his father had left for the station. They had finally identified Laura and let Derek out jail. Natalie had decided to keep her husband company given the little time they had spent together lately. Lydia hadn't been too nice about Scott taking Jackson's glory and left with said asshole.

All in all the game had gone great. They had won, and even though Scott had lost control on the field for a moment it hadn't been too obvious. Of course not a lot of people would think the boy was a werewolf. Scott was alright with Allison which would keep him calm, at least for a little while.

And Derek was free once more.

A knot in Stiles' heart had lossened up at the news. He didn't get it. He had met Derek for less than a week and the older man just created a complete havoc on his brain. How could a simple man have such a power over his feelings? He felt lost and not for the first time he wished for his mother to be there. To hold him and promise everything would be okay.

A knock on the window made him jump in the bed, even though it wasn't all that surprising. He went to open it and a moment later Derek Hale was once again standing in his room.

Derek took a step toward him but stopped after a second thought. His voice was gruff and tired. "Are you okay? For what I know nothing bad happened, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. All's cool y'know!"

"You reek of anxiety Stiles! And I can hear your heartbeat. Don't lie to me."

"Way to be a creeper dude." The way Derek had said the last four words took him back to the night before. The broken expression on the beta's face when he believed that the teenager had betrayed him.

Stiles took a breath and did the only thing he really wanted to. Surprising the older man he put his arms around Derek's neck in an honest hug. He wanted to bury his face against the wolf but decided against it. A second later when he thought the man was not returning the hug he went to pull away, but strong arms stoped the movement and pulled him closer to the warm body.

"I'm just glad you are fine." As Stiles pulled away once again but just a bit, he looked a those green eyes while still being held by Derek's arms. 'How could this feel so right? To feel like he was finally coming home? Safe and sound.'

It was at that moment Lydia made herself known to both of them with a cough. How hadn't Derek heard her Stiles didn't know.

Lydia looked at the scene in front of her as if expecting it. With an eyebrow raised at them Stiles just knew she had heard something. And now he knew she wouldn't drop the subject. He just hoped she would still keep quiet.

Lydia cleared her throat which made Stiles and Derek jump out of each other's arms. With a smirk Lydia looked at Stiles. "I just came to let you know I was back and that  _our_  parents will be back before midnight." And with a blinding smile that seemed almost predatory like she turned to Derek and talked as if they were the best of friends. "I would recommend for you to leave before our  _dad, the_  sheriff, gets here and arrests you once again for being in his underage teenager son's room but don't worry, we'll be seeing each other soon enough." With a wicked smile she left the room and the door completely open.

Derek frowned, "She's scary for a human. But also right. I should leave."

"Wait! I'll see you later, right? I mean not today cause it's almost tomorrow if that makes any sense but coming back later tonight would be stupid and-"

"Stiles! Breathe! How can you say so much in a breath?"

"It's a gift and a curse I guess but not the point. Look, Scott wants to apologize he knows he's a dick and accepted to give you a chance. You don't have to but he's finally understanding the circumstances. I think."

Looking at the pleading eyes of his mate Derek knew he would regret it. "Fine. We'll talk later." And with that he was out of the window into the night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: Polish,
> 
> Siostra-Sister.
> 
> Dobranoc bracie-Goodnight brother.
> 
> I know how to handle myself in different languages but Polish is not one of them, so I'm sorry if I'm butchering it!
> 
> Hope you like it! Leave reviews and give me your thoughts! Hope to see you soon!


	3. Pack Mentality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! Hope you enjoy it! And thanks to my wonderful beta CosmicStarlight21!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owner.

 

**Pack Mentality**

Scott was freaking out, which made Stiles freak out in response. They were in chemistry class trying to figure out what had happened since Derek wouldn't answer his phone and they were at lost with the situation.

"Maybe it was my blood on the door."

"Could've been animal blood; y'know, maybe you caught a rabbit."

"And did what?"

"Eat it." Stiles said as if it were the most obvious answer.

"Raw?" Asked the wolf disturbed.

"No! You stopped to bake it in a little werewolf oven! I don't know! You're the one who can't remember anything."

As Harris made them sit apart Stiles couldn't stop thinking about the brooding sourwolf who was not answering him, and if it had anything to do with Scott's 'dream'.

The moment the yells came out of the teens in the classroom he knew things were worse that what he had hoped. And as usual he was not wrong. Fuck his life!

* * *

"But dreams aren't memories," he said to his friend as they sat on the cafeteria.

"Then it's not a dream! Something happened last night and I can't remember what! Any word on Derek?"

"No! And it kind of worries me."

"I can't go out with Allison! I have to cancel!"

"No Scott! You can't just cancel your entire life. Will figure it out."

Soon after those words left his mouth Lydia sat on their table beside Stiles as if it were the most normal thing on earth and asked about their conversation. Ignoring that he looked at her as if she were an alien he asked, "Why are you sitting here Sis?"

"Can't I sit with my brother now?"

Scott and Stiles looked at each other as the rest of Lydia's clique sat down at their table. When Allison sat beside Scott things became clearer but he knew Lydia enough to know it was not just Allison's desire to sit with Scott why they were all there.

When Jackson finally came to the table he made one of the guys move. "How come you never ask Danny to get up?"

"Because I don't stare at his girlfriend's coin slot."

"Hey! Hey! Little respect to my sister!" Said Stiles looking at Danny with maniacal eyes. At his words Lydia sent an annoyed look his way but the smile on her face was amused and caring.

"So I hear they're saying it's some type of animal attack. Probably a cougar." Started Danny.

"I heard mountain lion." Answered Jackson as if he was above these kinds of situations.

"A cougar is a mountain lion," said Lydia annoyed at Jackson's idiocy. Pride started swelling in Stiles' chest until Lydia seemed to realize her mistake and asked with a bimbo-like expression-"Isn't it?"

"Who cares? The guy's probably some homeless tweaker who's gonna die anyway."

"Actually, I just found out who it is. Check it out."

"Is that Noah's email?" Asked a wide eyed Lydia.

Without answering Stiles just played the video. "The Sheriff's Department won't speculate on details ofthe incident but confirmed the victim, Garrison Meyers, did survive the attack. Meyers was taken to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition."

"I know this guy." Said Scott surprised.

"You do?" Asked Allison.

"Yeah, when I used to take the bus back when I lived with my dad. He was the driver."

"Can we talk about something slightly more fun, please? Like, oh, where are you going tomorrow night? You said you and Scott were hanging out tomorrow night, right?" The mischievous look plastered on Lydia's face spelled trouble but Stiles decided to simply observe the path the conversation would take.

"Um, we were thinking of what we were gonna do." Said Allison looking at Scott for confirmation.

"Well, I am not sitting home again watching lacrosse videos, so if the four of us are hanging out, we are doing something fun." With the way Lydia talked, the spaz would have thought that this had been the plan all along.

"Hanging out? Like, the four of us? Do you wanna hang out, like us and them?" Stiles didn't know if he should've laughed or cried at the way the situation was developing.

"Yeah, I guess. Sounds fun."

"You know what else sounds fun? Stabbing myself in the face with this fork." Commented Jackson as he heard the conversation.

"How about bowling? You love to bowl." The last part was meant for the blond.

"Yeah, with actual competition."

"How do you know we're not actual competition?" Taunted Allison. "You can bowl, right?" She turned and asked of Scott.

"Sort of."

"Is it sort of, or yes?"

"Yes! In fact, I'm a great bowler."

"Stiles it's a great bowler." Said Lydia as a matter of fact. "We go out bowling with our parents all the time!"

Thankfully Stiles' phone decided to ring in that very moment cutting the conversation; and at the name on the screen the only thing he could feel was relief.

Answering the call he almost shouted, "Why the hell haven't you answered the damn phone?"

A growl came from the other side of the line and with an irked voice Derek answered, "Oh you know, just came from my tea with the President." The teen was taken back by the bite in the wolf's voice. "What the hell do you think I'm doing? I've been tracking the Alpha after his little encounter with your friend."

"WHAT?" Shrieks Stiles at the statement who looks back at Scott who was also surprised having already heard what was being said.

With the way Derek's breathing had changed, Stiles could imagine him and his face morphing in exasperation. "What do you mean by what? He hasn't told you? Doesn't he remember?"

"Yes Derek! Haven't you read the hundreds of messages I sent you? Dude, feeling the love here," snapped Stiles.

Before Derek could retort Lydia took Stiles' phone out of his hand and with a wicked grin she looked at Stiles with the phone in her ear. "Derek?"

"Who is this?" Growled the wolf at the strange voice.

"Lydia of course! We met last night when you snuck through Stiles' window!" By this point of the conversation everyone looked at said boy who was hitting his head over and over again against the table as soon as his sister had taken the phone.

"But so not the point," continued the strawberry blonde before Derek could answer, ignoring the boy beside her. "Some of us are going bowling tomorrow night! And can you believe how I was just telling everyone how good Stiles was, but we're all going with partners, so of course I couldn't let my brother come all alone! And then you called and it seems like fate, don't you think?"

Without really thinking Scott turned to his friend and in a low voice, who everyone in the table could anyway, he said in awe, "Dude, since when did Lydia turn into  _you_?"

On the other side of the line Derek was cursing every deity could think of. "Look Lydia I'm sure you have the best intentions here but-"

He was once again cut off by Lydia and the wolf was starting to doubt if the girl and Stiles weren't actual blood by the way Lydia talked. "Or you know! I could totally have him take Danny," at hearing his name he turned to look at Lydia with wide eyes. "He's like one of my best friends and I've been thinking about setting them up, so if you are not able to come I could totally do that instead!" The table had gone completely quiet with every face looking at Lydia either shrouded in confusion or madness.

Derek could only growl at the idea of anyone else even looking at Stiles' way. He knew what the girl was doing and as much as he didn't want to fall into her game he wouldn't let anyone near Stiles if he could help it. He wasn't going to be  _her._ As much as he thought Stiles deserved better than someone as broken as himself, but even then his wolf drove him to be selfish enough to say in the least feral voice-"I'll go."

Lydia gave a triumphal grin. "Wonderful! We'll meet you there! Wouldn't do us any good if you went to the house with our parents there! See ya!"

With that she hang up and gave Stiles his phone back.

Her brother looked at her trying to stay calm. "I'm gonna murder you!" With that he took off to try to save whatever he had left of his weird relationship with Derek.

Everyone else in the table was silent until Danny spoke. "What was that?"

"I got my very annoying Stepbrother a date with a hot older guy."

Scott and Jackson talked at the same time:

"Stiles does not like Derek!"

"We are going out with Stilinski?"

Lydia looked at her boyfriend with a cold glare. "I deal with enough of your insults and bullying toward Stiles. Whether you like it or not he is my brother, blood or otherwise. Deal with it."

Her gaze fell on Scott and then passed to look at her nails as she said "You may not think so but I'll inform you that Derek Hale came in last night through Stiles window, and when I went into the room the hold they had on each other was way past friendly and more in the realms of I'll eat you alive." With that Lydia left the table leaving the other occupants speechless for the time being.

* * *

Stiles dialled Derek's phone and begged for him to answer. It barely took a full ring before his wish was answered. "Stiles."

"I'm so so soooo sorry! Lydia was way out of line and she must be going through some temporary madness or something! I know this call was supposed to be about Scott and last night's attack."

"Stiles."

"You don't have to, in no way feel like you must come bowling as some sort of obligation cause of course you don't wanna hang with a buch of high shoolers much less go in some sort of group date with  _me_!"

"STILES!"

"Really dude! I know you're like some greek god and I'm a total spaz so you sooo don't have to come!"

"STILES! Shut up for a second!"

"Yep. Shutting up."

"Look, I won't lie and say that the whole conversation with your sister was insane and that things are completely fucked up now but it's not an obligation even though I won't lie and say that your sister is scary without being on her bad side." It wasn't his idea of a good night but he wasn't about to say that to the teen. "And as for the date part that's something we should leave alone and ignore."

"Wha- what do you mean?" Stiles' voice was soft on the line.

"You're underage Stiles. And I'm in no way good for you."

"You might be right with the first part but I should be the one to judge the second one, am I not?"

"Stiles... I won't talk about this now over a phone and until the mess with the Alpha is fixed this conversation its over. Tell Scott to come by later to the house, I'll help him then."

"Okay, I'll tell him." He paused and then added, "And Derek; the conversation is on hold, I'm not over with it." With those words he ended the call.

* * *

Stiles couldn't help but stare up at the ceiling of the room wondering what he had done in his previous life to earn this sort of punishment. From his place on the bed he could feel Lydia sitting beside him while he could only assume Allison kept showing her the contents of her wardrobe.

"Mmm, pass. Pass. Let me see." Standing from the bed she continued, "Pass. Pass. Pass on all of it. God, Allison, my respect for your taste is dwindling by the second."

"You do know Scott won't care about any of this, right?" Stiles didn't move an inch but could still tell he was being ignored.

"Hmm. This." Said Lydia taking what Stiles could imagine was a very short dress or a dressy sort of shirt.

The door of the room was opened and Stiles lifted his head to see Allison's father entering in the room. He went completely still for a moment, this man was a hunter and as dad-like as he looked Stiles wouldn't be put upon by the man. He stayed on the bed but now resting on his elbows. He wouldn't show any kind of fear.

"Dad, hello?" Said Allison as if she couldn't believe her father's attitude.

When the man realized his mistake he turned to his daughter. "Right. I'm sorry. I completely forgot to knock."

Looking at the father of her new friend Lydia flopped herself beside him in the bed with a flirty smile. "Hi, Mr. Argent." Stiles rolled his eyes.

"Dad, do you need something?" Allison looked annoyed at the careless interruption.

"I wanted to tell you that you'll be staying in tonight."

"What? I'm going out with my friends tonight." Stiles barely knew Allison and he didn't think of her as an angsty teenager but he could have been fooled by the way she said  _that_.

"Not when some animal is out there and is attacking people."

"Dad, Dad!" Kept saying the brunette.

"It's out of my hands. There's a curfew. No one's allowed out past 9:30 p.m."

Without meaning to Stiles huffed a little and laughed, and heard Lydia do the same. Mr. Argent seemed to have finally noticed his presence in the room and gave the stepsiblings a questioning look.

"Sorry sir. Didn't mean to laugh but it's not the first time there has been a curfew in town, it's never been about this kind of stuff before but the curfews are really just a joke." Said Stiles as if trying to reassure the man.

"Besides, our father is the sheriff and even  _he_  knows that," added Lydia as a matter of fact. "Mom knows we're all going bowling and probably so does dad so it's really not something you would have to worry about Mr. Argent."

"Oh. You're the sheriff's children?" Asked the hunter.

Stiles was ready to answer but his sister beat him to the punch. "Of course! I'm technically his stepdaughter and Stiles and I are stepsiblings, but you know how those things end up working just right with family I'm sure. I don't really think you would have to worry about Allison finding even better people in this town than us."

"Oh?" Asked Mr. Argent amused.

"Yeah," said Stiles still a bit uncomfortable with the blue eyes looking his way. "You shouldn't worry about Ally here. No one messes with the sheriff's kids."

"I like to know that guys but I would still prefer for Allison to stay here."

"But dad!" Whined the brunette.

"Hey, no more arguing." Said the hunter with a commanding voice.

After the man left Stiles looked at the strawberry-blonde as she got closer to the other girl and said, "Someone's daddy's little girl." Lydia knew how to play people to get her way.

With hard eyes Allison answered, "Sometimes. But not tonight." She went to the window and out to the roof.

"What are you doing?"

Lydia and Stiles ran there just in time to see Allison jumping down to the ground gracefully. "Eight years of gymnastics. Are you coming?"

Lydia was a bit horrified at the inquiry. "We'll take the stairs."

* * *

Derek got to the bowling alley just as the jeep was pulling in. He couldn't help but notice that the Argent girl was with them. Stiles knew about the Argents, he was supposed to know better. With questioning eyes he looked at Stiles and as if Stiles could read his mind he made a subtle wave at Lydia's direction. And with that Derek could understand. His mate's sister was a force of nature who even the wolf knew not to cross.

As they went closer Stiles smiled at him as Lydia introduced him to Allison. They went inside where a blond boy, with way too flashy clothes for a bowling alley, walked up to them and took Lydia in for a rough kiss.

Before any other introduction Scott came up to them and gave a still nod to Derek probably remembering their last conversation but as soon as his eyes fell on the brunette his face became the one of a lovesick puppy.

They went to sit on the table of the lane they had been given and changed their shoes. He was choosing a ball as Stiles came from behind him. "Thanks for this. You really didn't have to. Besides Scott told me what he thinks he saw and I don't want things between you two get worse."

"How is that you're so trusting?" Derek had heard Scott before, Stiles wasn't like this.

"I know in my gut I can trust you Derek." With that he turned back.

Derek sat beside his mate and his ears perked at the conversation behind them.

"You really look like you know what you're doing."

"Used to bowl with my dad. When was the last time you bowled?"

"Uh, at a birthday party." And as Allison left he added to himself, "When I was eight."

Derek huffed a laugh and was gifted with a questioning look from Stiles.

"So, Derek Hale, right?" Said Jackson with a smirk.

"Yes."

"Weren't you like arrested for murder yesterday?" Allison, who seemed to be the only one without that knowledge turned in surprise.

"And the charges were also dropped Jackson." Stiles' voice was cold and calm.

"Leave it Jackson! It's our turn!"

Jackson was holding Lydia as if he were trying to explain the mechanics of bowling and was not so subtle on masking his groping. He felt Stiles' annoyance and the gritting teeth. He knew from Stiles' rambles about how Lydia played a bimbo character and how he hated Jackson. Derek couldn't help but agree with the assessment.

After Lydia and Jackson it was their turn. Unsurprisingly he did it amazing and even though Stiles never looked like he had any kind of control over his limbs he also played surprisingly good.

It came the turn of Scott and Allison and the brunette made an Strike. Derek was not impressed. She was an Argent. When it was Scott's turn he felt Stiles growing anxious. He looked at the boy and this said in a very low whisper, "Scott sucks at bowling and earlier he said he was great. It'll be a train wreck."

"You're up, McCall."

"You can do it, Scott." Derek felt the scent of Allison growing warmer, a part of him still didn't trust the girl, never would, but it also found himself hoping for the girl not to end twisted like her family.

He went back looking at the other wolf. And Stiles was right. It hurt Derek to see how terrible the other beta was.

Jackson was cackling and even though Derek found it amusing to see how bad Scott was he felt some hatred going Jackson's way.

"Jackson? Mind shutting up?"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm just flashing back to the words, "I'm a great bowler."

"Maybe he just needs a little warm-up."

"Yeah, maybe he just needs the kiddy bumpers."

"Just. Just aim for the middle."

"How about you aim for anything except for the gutter?"

"Let him concentrate."

The words going from the blond to the brunette were getting old. Derek was definitely not able to handle teenagers.

"Come on, just one pin, please." Pleaded Scott silently. But failed once again.

"Oh, great job, McCall. Man, you are a pro."

"Don't worry. We only just started. Scott. You're thinking too much." Allison went closer to Scott but Derek could still hear.

"I know, I'm sorry, I'm ruining this."

"No, no, not at all, but I wouldn't mind shutting them up, so just clear your head and think about something else."

"Like what?"

"Anything. Think about me. Naked."

Derek couldn't help the laugh and he relayed what he had heard to Stiles. His mate had to put a hand in his mouth for the whole situation not to become too obvious. That was when Derek noticed how his arms was resting on Stiles' chair. He considered pulling away but the boy didn't seem to notice and if it was at least for tonight he would let himself feel happy just for a second.

Finally Scott made a Strike. And Lydia turned to Allison to ask what had she done.

"I just gave him something to think about."

As Scott seemed to be doing better and better Jackson grew even more annoyed than before.

"That is seriously amazing. Jackson, how many strikes is that?"

"It's six. In a row."

By this point Stiles and Derek were winning but it didn't really seem to matter to the other couples.  _Great!_  Now he thought about Stiles and himself as a couple.

"Something just clicked, I guess."

"Maybe it's natural talent."

"How lovesick can people be?" asked the older wolf on Stiles ear. In retort the spaz hit him with his elbow. But Derek could feel how his voice in Stiles' ear turned him on and made his scent intoxicating.

"I could use some natural talent. You mind helping me out this time, Scott?" Asked Lydia flirtingly at the boy.

"She's shameless" said Derek once again. But this time honey brown eyes turned to him way closer than they should have been and with smirk said: "You have no idea." Both turned in time to see Scott and Allison's reaction.

"No, you're good. Go for it."

Annoyed at this with a fake smiled the redhead said, "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Hey, I'll help."

"How about I just try this on my own?" The beta could feel the confidence flowing from the girl and unsurprisingly to only Derek and Stiles she made an Strike. Stiles smug smile at his sister warmed Derek. He saw how caring Stiles was. "I think I'm getting the hang of it."

"That was sort of perfect form." Said Allison amazed.

"Was it?" And there it was the charade again.

Allison got closer to the strawberry-blonde and in a low voice she said, "Maybe you should stop pretending to suck just for his benefit."

Derek felt Stiles go from smug to sad at the words said next. "Trust me, I do plenty of sucking just for his benefit."

And then the wolf understood how his mate felt for his sister.

* * *

Melissa McCall went through the hallway of her home right to her son's room. "Hey, Scott, I'm gonna go to sleep." At her missing son she rolled her eyes. "Seriously." As she walked away she heard sounds and went back. Between screams and a lot of yelling she finally saw the intruder "Stiles, what the hell are you doing here?"

"What am I doing? God, do either of you even play baseball?" Melissa didn't understood what the boy meant. Just then Scott came through the door and Melissa simply asked. "Can you please tell your friend to use the front door?"

"But we lock the front door. He wouldn't be able to get in."

"Yeah, exactly. And, by the way, do either of you care that there's a police-enforced curfew?"

"No." Came from both boys

"All right then. Well, you know what? That's about enough parenting for me for one night, -so good night. Good night."

* * *

Scott entered to the burnt house and yelled "Derek! I know you're here! I know what you did!"

"I didn't do anything." The voice echoed eerily in the old house.

"You killed him!"

"He died."

"Like your sister died?"

"My sister was missing. I came here looking for her."

"You found her."

"I found her in  _pieces_ , being used as bait to catch me. I know Stiles has told you this over and over again. Are you really this  _stupid_?"

"I think you killed them both. I'm gonna tell everyone, starting with the sheriff. Let's see if Stiles will even looked at you then!"

Derek throws Scott down the stairs and then lands in front of the boy. With all his strength Scott sent Derek sailing in the air and through a wall.

As if it was nothing Derek stands up and casually uses his hands to brush off dust off his pants. "Huh. That was cute." With all the control in the world Derek changed and roared.

The fight broke out without warning. And as fast as it had began with a bang, it had ended with abruptly with a whimper.

Changing back Derek talked, "I didn't kill him. Neither of us did. It's not  _your_  fault, and it's not  _mine_."

"This? This is all  _your_  fault! You're trying make me break up with Allison! You've got  _my_  friend to trusts you when he doesn't trusts anyone and made him believe just a bunch of lies.  _You_  ruined my life!"

"No, I didn't." The older beta knew that to do this he had to stay calm.

"You're the one who bit me!"

"No, I'm not."

"What!"

"I'm not the one that bit you."

Looking down at his destroyed t-shirt everything about that night came back. "There's another. It's called an Alpha. It's the most dangerous of our kind. You and I, we're Betas. This thing is more powerful, more animal than either of us. My sister came here looking for him. Now I'm trying to find him. But I don't think I can do it without you."

"Why me?"

"Because he's the one that bit you. You're part of his pack. It's  _you_ , Scott. You're the one he wants."

Into the forest and not far from the old manor red eyes glowed.


	4. Magic Bullet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi people! Here it is! The new chapter! I really hope you enjoy this! I want to thank you all for your support and your words, you have no idea how much it meams to me that you like the story!
> 
> I also want to apologize for the late updates but I've spent the last two months sick and after three different doctors and a hundred of medical exams writing and posting it's almost impossible! Besides, I'm taking a summer course at Uni and going through exams season which it's a plain nightmare! Anyway I really hope to update each week from now on but bare with me here lol 
> 
> As usual, thanks to my beautiful beta CosmicStarlight21 for the wonderful help!
> 
> Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me but to their rightful owners

**Magic Bullet**

"Oh! So Derek is not the Alpha. That's a shocker dude!" Sarcasm dripped out of Stiles voice as he whispered from their seats in the back of the classroom.

"Are you going to be like this all day?"

"Only until you remember that you should always listen to me. But it hasn't happened in all the years we've know each other , so I'm not so hopeful for it to happen anytime soon. What we have to do now is find the Alpha. Any ideas?"

"I don't know."

"But we do know the Alpha is the one who killed the bus driver, right?"

"I guess, I don't know. You're the one who talks to Derek. What's he saying about it?"

"Nothing. It annoys me. I haven't seen him since the night he talked to you and that was like three days ago! And that night was all like 'he comes into my room out of the blue, which should probably be not that surprising and he's not really looking at me. He said he has talked to you and how you finally believe and then some shit about me staying away for a while or some other bullshit. Of course that's when he turns to noticed I had just gotten out of the bathroom with just a towel and disappears!'; I've seen him a couple of times around town but as soon as I realized he is there he's gone! Also I'm sure I saw him from my window last night but that was probably my mind fantasizing." Scott was looking at him between confused and traumatized so he decided to stop his mini rant and said as if the last minute had never happened. "Do you think Allison's dad knows about the-"

"I don't know! And can I just bleach my mind, please? 'Cause TMI dude!"

Just then the professor gave out the exams and feeling glad with his grade he turned to his friend and noticed Scott's. "Dude, you have to study more." At Scott's annoyance he adds. "That was a joke. Scott, it's one test. You're gonna make it up! Do you want help studying?"

"No. I'm studying with Allison after school today."

"That's my boy." Said Stiles proudly.

"We're just studying."

"Uh-uh. No, you're not."

"I'm not?"

"Not if I'm forced to live vicariously through you since my sexual life is none existent and my frustrations have gotten worse. If you go to her house today and squander that colossal opportunity, I swear to God I'll have you de-balled!" Said Stiles as they walked out of their last period.

"Okay. Just stop with the questions, man."

"Done. No more questions. No more talk about the Alpha or Derek. Especially Derek, who is at fault of all my problems at hand and still scares me a bit with his stalker-like behavior and his eyebrows of doom. Of course that's coming as part of the appe-"

"Stiles. Stop. We haven't talked about whatever you and Derek have, which I kinda don't want to, and the last thing I need is to hear what's going through your head."

"I can't help it dude! It's really hard!" The smirk on Stiles face just grew wider.

"I hate you so much." Mumbled Scott leaving his friend behind.

* * *

It was as Stiles was pulling out of the parking lot when he saw Derek standing in front of the Jeep. "You gotta be kidding me. This guy's everywhere."

Horns are honking as Stiles gets out of the jeep and he saw Scott running over to them. "What the hell? What are you doing here?"

"I was shot."

"He's not looking so good, dude."

"Why aren't you healing?" Scott asked with wide eyes.

"I can't. It was a different kind of bullet," Derek explained while trying to mask the painful expression that was fighting for dominance to be seen across his face.

"A silver bullet?"

"No, you idiot."

"Wait. That's what she meant when she said you had forty-eight hours."

"What? Who said forty-eight hours?"

"The one who shot you."

Stiles looked at his friends with wide eyes as if he had lost his mind. "Scott if you hear these kind of things you have to say it!"

Derek's eyes started going from their usual green to glowing blue. "What are you doing? Stop that." Scott was starting to freak out.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you. I can't."

"Derek, get up." Looking at Stiles he added, "Help me put him in your car."

Once seated he told the young wolf, "I need you to find out what kind of bullet they used. And bring it to me."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?"

"Allison. She's an Argent. She's with them."

"Why should I help you?"

"Because you need me."

"Fine, I'll try." Realizing they were attracting attention he put Derek inside the Jeep. "Hey, get him out of here."

"I hate you for this so much." Worry was all over his face and for a moment Scott saw the deep feelings his friend harbored for the wolf. Maybe they can be friends after all, that is if Derek doesn't die.

He went to Allison who was giving him questioning looks from her car.

"Hey, what was he doing here?"

"Stiles was just giving him a ride. Uh, long story."

"I thought you said you weren't friends with him."

"No. Not really." Allison remembered Scott saying so before the night at the bowling alley and even though she hadn't said anything about Stiles and Derek, whose attitude showed that Lydia had obviously been right, she had noticed the tension between the older man and Scott.

"Um, we're still studying together, right? So I'll meet you back at your place?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, bye."

"See you there!"

* * *

"Come on. Try not to bleed out on my seats, okay? We're almost there." Talked Stiles as calm as he could.

"Almost where?"

"Your house."

"What? No, you can't take me there."

"I can't take you to your own house?"

"Not when I can't protect myself."

"What happens if Scott doesn't find your little magic bullet? Hmm? Are you dying?" Derek could read the real worry on Stiles. But he also smelt the lingering hurt he had caught while looking over the boy on the past few days. It was in no way physical but Derek didn't know what it meant.

"Not yet. I have a last resort."

"What do you mean? What last resort?" The wolf looked at the wounds in his arm as Stiles did too. "Oh, my God! What is that? Oh, is that contagious?" Parking by on a side he said "You know what, you should probably just get out."

"Start the car. Now." Growled the man.

"I don't think you should be barking orders with the way you look. In fact, I think if I wanted to, I could probably drag your little werewolf ass out into the middle of the road and leave you for dead!" As worried as Stiles was for the man and even though he wouldn't be able to leave him he was also mad at Derek for his behavior in the past few days.

"Start the car, or I'm gonna rip your throat out with my teeth." Shit that so did not make him tremble. He had a serious problem if that actually made him go all hormonal teenager.

Even with all the pain the wolf caught a whiff of Stiles and was barely able to control himself.

The spaz started the car once again while trying to decide a safe place for Derek. If the Hale house was out he couldn't really think on too many places. His house was an option but still not safe enough. He wasn't sure if there was someone home but if he appeared in his house with Derek in this state things would go to hell, or if his very annoying snoopy neighbors saw anything would probably gossip about Stiles bringing a man home and his father would kill him in the spot; Scott's house was out of question too. Melissa had the day off which meant she would spend the whole day resting. He grabbed and looked at the key ring he hid under his seat. The station was out of question, so was his house and the McCall's, the school still had people around. Driving around would have to do until Scott, who's ignoring all his calls and messages, had the bullet he decided.

"What's with the keys?" Groaned Derek.

"Right now, not useful."

Half an hour later the young wolf finally picked up. But he hadn't found the bullet yet.

"What am I supposed to do with him?" Asked Stiles growing anxious.

"Take him somewhere. Anywhere!"

"Oh! Cause that idea did not cross my mind!" Snarked Stiles. Maybe some guilt would get the search going. "And by the way, he's starting to smell." If glares could kill he would have already burned to a charcoaled crisp.

"Like what?"

"Like death."

"Okay." Nailed it there. "Take him to the animal clinic."

"What about your boss?"

"He's gone by now. There's a spare key in the box behind the dumpster."

Sighing he looked at Derek who had pain written all over his face. "You're not gonna believe where he's telling me to take you."

The born wolf is given the phone by Stiles and asks "Did you find it?"

"How am I supposed to find one bullet? They have a million! This house is like the freaking Walmart of guns!"

"If you don't find it, then I'm dead, all right?"

"I'm starting to think that wouldn't be such a bad thing."

"Then think about Alpha called you out against your will. He's gonna do it again. Next time, you either kill with him or you get killed. So if want to stay alive, then you need me. Find the bullet!" He hanged up.

"Okay big guy, we'll go to the Animal Clinic and Scott will bring the cure and you'll go back to your usual brooding self." Derek couldn't get an honest read from Stiles, whether if it was the bullet or the boy, he didn't know.

They got into the clinic and from a moment to another Stiles found himself being told by a guy, he barely knew and yet he couldn't help but care about, that he had to chop off his arm.

"Ugh! Look, I don't know if I can do this." This was probably among the most horrible things he had ever been through.

"Why not?"

"Well, because of the cutting through the flesh, the sawing of the bone, and especially the blood!" Yelled the teen.

"You faint at the sight of blood?"

"No! But I might at the sight of a chopped-off arm!"

"All right, fine. How about this? Either you cut off my arm, or I'm gonna cut off your head."

"Okay, you know, I'm so not buying your threats anymore. And I'm getting tired of these mixed signals." When Derek took him by the shirt from the other side of the table he gave in. "Oh my God! Okay. All right, bought, sold, totally, I'll do it. I'll do it." Minutes later as while he was trying to mentally prepare for what was to come next he turned to Derek, "What are you doing?" Asked Stiles as Derek vomited some kind of black liquid all over the floor, "Holy God! What the hell is that?" Yeah, definitely bad.

"It's my body, it is trying to heal itself."

"Well, it's not doing a very good job of it." He sooo couldn't do it.

"Now, you gotta do it now." Yelled Derek in desperation.

"Look, honestly, I don't think I can."

"Just do it!"

"Oh, my God. Okay. Oh, my God. All right, here we go!"

"Stiles?"Scott yelled from the front.

"Scott?" Relief coursed through Stiles' body and he let out a quiet sigh of contemptment of having escaped the attempted amputation.

"What the hell are you doing?" The horrified look Scott had at the sight in front of him.

Stiles' gave a chuckle, "Oh, you just prevented a lifetime of nightmares."

"Did you get it?" Asked the other wolf.

"What are you gonna do with it?" Wondered Stiles.

"I'm gonna-" Stiles thought the beta looked ready to pass out.

"No, don't." And of course Derek would've passed out just as he thought it!

Grabbing the face of the wolf he pleaded, "No, no, no! Derek? Derek, come on." Glancing at Scott he asked, "Scott! What the hell are we gonna do?"

"I can't reach it," mumbled Scott.

"He's not waking up! I think he's dying! I think he's dead!" He was freaking out, his could not happen!

"Hold on!" After a pause Scott added, "I got it! I got it!"

With all the strength he could muster, Stiles hit Derek. He regretted it as soon as his hand collided with the beautiful face he was holding.

Luckily Derek woke up whispering, "Give it to me."

The beta dropped the wolfsbane on the examination table and burned it. He then rubbed it in the wound, much to the teen's disgust.

He fell to the ground and screamed in pain. Stiles moved to hold him but Scott stopped him.

Getting up the teen wolf asked, "Are you okay?"

"I am except for the agonizing pain."

"I guess the ability to use sarcasm is a good sign of health." Derek tried to maintain his hard gaze but a bit of fondness bled through in his eyes.

"Okay, we saved your life; which means you're gonna leave us alone! You get that?" Stiles looked between his friend and Derek. "And if you don't I'm going to come back with Allison's dad and I'll tell him everything."

"Scott! They will kill you too!" Yelled Stiles. He shot his friend a incredulous look.

"You gonna trust them? You think they can help you?"

"Why not? They're a lot freaking nicer than you are!"

"Yeah, I can show you exactly how nice they are."

"What do you mean?"

* * *

They drove to Beacons Crossing Home in silence.

"What are we doing here?" Wondered Scott out loud as they parked. Derek kept walking without a word; inside Scott and Stiles, the later who had insisted on going along, followed Derek until he went into a room. "Who is he?"

"My uncle. Peter Hale."

"Is he like you? A werewolf?" Stiles asked softly getting closer to the green eyed man.

"He was. Now he's barely even human." He paused and Stiles could see how hard this was for him. He put a hand on his shoulder and with that the older wolf talked again. "Six years ago, my sister and I were at school. Our house caught fire. Eleven people were trapped inside. He was the only survivor."

"So what makes you so sure that they set the fire?" Scott couldn't believe that, Allison's family were good people.

"'Cause they're the only ones that knew about us."

"Then they had a reason."

Stiles looked horrified at Scott. How could his friend say that?

"Like what? You tell me what justifies this." Derek moved the wheelchair to show them the burns that were still branded on Peter's face. "They say they'll only kill an adult and only with absolute proof. But there were people in my family that were perfectly ordinary in that fire. This is what they do. And it's what Allison will do." Stiles looked at the man in front of him wondering what kind of world was this if those who were supposed to protect did that.

His thoughts were interrupted by a redheaded nurse. "What are you doing? How did you get in here?"

"We were just leaving," huffed Derek. The trio left as quickly as they had come.

* * *

It was close to 3am when the window slid open, Stiles didn't turn from his computer; he had been expecting that sound for hours. Lydia slept peacefully in his bed, clad in a another of one of his grafic t-shirts and one of her yoga pants, few were the ones who knew that Lydia Martin, the Queen of BHHS, liked to sleep in baggy clothes. Stiles thought she looked adorable, not that he would tell her so, he wanted his dick to stay attached to his body.

He wrote some important details carefully on a notebook and then twisted his chair to look at Derek who seemed to be uncomfortable standing beside the window.

"How are you?" Asked Stiles still worrying over the events of the day.

Derek stared at him with a hard face but with soft eyes. "I've been better."

"I'm really sorry about Scott. He was out of line."

"I'm just trying to protect you both, the Argents are not to be trusted."

Stiles gave him a watery smile, "I know and I am thankful for your honesty. They shouldn't have gotten away with it. And I am sorry for that too." he looked down at his feet when he added, "Also I'm sorry for how much of an asshole I was to you today."

"I was a jerk too. So no harm done."

"Dude! You were shot and had a bullet wound in your arm. Can you just, accept the apology?"

Derek chuckled and gave a nod. Warm spread through him at the smile he got from Stiles. Looking at the computer he couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing with that at this hour?"

Stiles' heart speed up an the regular scent of anxiety grew, the guilty look in those honey brown eyes was all he needed to know he would be regretting that question.

"I'm investigating the Argents, all of them. There's not a lot about them online which rubs me the wrong way. I have some tricks my aunt taught me with computers but nothing of what I've found is useful."

Derek passed his hands over his face in an attempt to clear his mind, "That can be dangerous Stiles. Leave them alone."

"No!" At his outburst the spaz turned to the redhead to check out her state. In a whisper he added, "I need to know all I can about them, know your enemy and all that crap. But it's not just that." With a hard look at the wolf he finished, "If you're right and Allison is like her family it's not just Scott. Allison is the closest thing Lydia has had to a friend, and to think she might not be who we believe makes me sick, I refuse to let them hurt Lydia. Especially when she's not involved."

Derek looked at the sleeping girl. "Did you tell her?"

"Of course not you knucklehead! That's not my secret to tell. But she already knows something is up, it's only matter of time."

"Then why is she sleeping here?" Derek assumed Stiles had told her.

Stiles blushed and in a quiet voice muttered, "When I got back I was still in shock, she knew right away something was wrong. I didn't tell her the whole truth but she still decided she was making me company." Stiles smiled at the girl and Derek remembered that same look in his face while he watched over Cora or Laura. "It's funny y'know. We're not blood, we're not alike in almost anything but she's somehow still my sister. We didn't have a good start but she's my rock, and I'm hers."

"We were like that. Laura and I. Those relationships are the ones we have to hold onto." Standing up he said, "But that's not why I'm here."

"Oh? Going back to your creeper ways?"

"Sometimes I don't know how to handle you Stiles. But no, it's about something you said earlier."

"We both said a lot of things."

"You've been mad at me, I get that. But earlier you said I gave you mixed signals or something and that's not what's going on."

Stiles gave him an incredulous look, "So you didn't imply you were kind of into me, which I found a bit unbelievable, and after that you went out of your way to ignore me?"

"Okay, it doesn't look good but that's not really it. Things are more complicated than what you think. And I do care about you but that doesn't mean I'm right for you."

"You really are a dummy! Derek, I don't care if you think you are not good enough or whatever. I've been called a lot of things but never a goody-two-shoes. I'm devious, sarcastic, self-serving at best, I'm probably the one who's not good enough. I can tell you have a good heart, you're not a complete moron and you're hot as hell which is completely welcoming." Both laughed at the last part, "I said already and I doubt this will be the last but, I decide who's good for me and as much as you refuse I'm still betting on you Sourwolf." With a wink he turned back to the computer and heard the window once again.

All in all, the day hadn't sucked so much!


	5. The Tell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry it took me so long to update but I swear I'll try better. I'm back at Uni, starting classes for real now, not just summer courses... so, yeah, it'll be hard to update but I'll try hard to do it regularly. And if you want the next chapter let me know if I'm taking too much! Luv U all!
> 
> And thanks to the most amazing Beta ever, CosmicStarlight21♥
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas of the story, everything belongs to their rightful owner.

**The Tell**

"So tell me son, how are things going?" Asked the sheriff, who was driving them to get burgers for their dinner.

"Seriously dad? You ask me that every day." And Stiles thanks to the gods with how easy it's been to avoid the subject with his dad so far, "Besides, this our father-son night! Lydia is on a date with Mr. Jackass-"

"Stiles..."The reprimanding voice of the sheriff said half heartily.

"-and Natalie is on her Me-day, which I have no idea what means by the way. Do you really want to talk about  _my life_?"

"Yes! Especially since I don't really know what's going on with your life! Or Lydia's. With this whole case I've barely been home. So yes! Tell me about you!"

"There's not a lot to say. I hang out with Scott when he's not mooning over Allison, I've hung out with Lyds a couple of times, actually set up Allison's happy birthday surprise on her locker together, but really, not much."

"So the gossip Nat heard about you and Derek Hale on a date at the bowling alley was not true?"

Stiles blood ran cold, "I can explain dad."

"Oh, I was expecting denial but now, this better be good!"

Thinking as fast as he could he talked without looking at his father, "Ehhhh... he helped me with the Jeep a couple of days back, then we just kept bumping each other, after that we just decided to hang out every now and then I guess. He seems lonely and you know I'm all for helping others." Stiles' heart was on his throat. That lie had been so hard! It was not exactly a lie but definitely not true. He just hoped it was believable enough.

The sheriff gave him a dubious look and without another word got out of the car. Stiles hadn't noticed they had already arrived to the diner. Luckily he got to order before his father and in no time they were back in the cruiser, eating. "They forgot my curly fries?" No, Stiles thought to himself, he hadn't ordered them for his dad. They were unhealthy for the man!

"You're not supposed to eat fries, especially not the curly ones."

With his mouth full and an annoyed voice the sheriff simply said, "I carry a lethal weapon. If I want curly fries, I will have the curly fries."

"If you think getting rid of contractions in all your sentences makes your argument any more legitimate, you are wrong."

As Stiles chuckled at the end of the argument the police radio beeped and the dispatcher broadcasted, "Unit One, do you copy?" Stiles went to grab it but his had was slapped by his father who gave him a pointed glare while clearing his throat.

"Sorry."

Taking the radio his dad responded, "Unit One, copy."

"Got a report of a possible 187."

"A murder?" Fries fell unattractively out of Stiles' mouth and he leaned in closer to hear more about the juicy details.

* * *

Less than ten minutes later they were parking at the video store and before Noah could notice, Stiles was out of the car and running over to the ambulance.

Getting out and about to yell for Stiles, he stopped. Sitting on the ambulance, hidden by Stiles' arms, was Lydia. The sheriff wasn't good at showing emotions in general, not in the past and not now. He loves his family. And they knew it. He had shared time with Lydia and knew the girl understood his feelings just right; in more than one occasion he had heard the redhead referring to him as 'dad', as much as she had never actually said it to him he knew he loved that girl as his own.

And to see her in any state of pain made him want to forget about everything. Especially when her stupid boyfriend was trying to break her and Stiles apart.

Ignoring Jackson, who now seemed to be yelling to a paramedic, he went to hug the freaked out girl and also taking his son. "Paul, let's get this area locked up!" He yelled to the deputy.

"Why the hell can't I just go home? I'm fine." The sheriff saw the face Stiles pulled at the blonde's annoyed voice.

Turning, the sheriff said calmly, "I hear ya, but the EMT says you hit your head pretty hard. They just wanna make sure you don't have a concussion."

"What part of "I'm fine" are you having a problem grasping? Okay, I wanna go home."

"And I understand that."

"No, you don't understand, which kind of blows my mind, since it should be a pretty basic concept to grasp for a minimum-wage rent-a-cop Iike you! Okay, now, I wanna go home!" By the end Jackson was yelling and at the noise Lydia kept chanting for Jackson to stop against Stiles, who was again trying to calm her down.

As the sheriff saw the body being taken away he knew his problems were barely starting.

* * *

Natalie Martin-Stilinski rested on the threshold of Lydia's room looking at her daughter and the boy who had become a son to her as he held the strawberry-blond haired girl. Lydia hadn't taken the attack on the video store very well. She had gone from the freaked out state she held in the beginning to falling in a more catatonic state then lastly to a self medication induced one. And Stiles had barely left her side.

"Stiles, darling, you should get ready to school. I'll look after her."

Stiles looked at her with tired eyes, "You sure?"

Thinking about it twice the woman added, "Or you could stay and rest. You look dead on your feet!"

Stiles thought for a moment, "Nahh, if I feel too tired I'll leave but I should probably get the stuff for Lydia's classes."

"Okay sweetie, text me if anything happens, okay?"

Stiles gifted her an smile and with an unexpected hug he answered, "You too Nat, love ya!" And with nothing else he left her side.

A treacherous tear full of happiness at the boy's words fell down her cheek and with a smile the woman turned to her sleeping daughter.

* * *

Stiles was heading out of school after a terrible morning. He was too tired to handle anyone's shit, which of course was the moment he saw Derek coming out of the locker room.

"Why the hell are you here?" He whisper-yelled as he got closer to the wolf.

"I was asking Jackson about what he saw and threatened him some more just to make my point across."

A mischievous smile grew in Stiles' face. "Now that's something I would have loved to have seen."

Derek rolled his eyes but still found himself amused at the boy. "How's Lydia?"

"Terrible. I barely slept trying to help but she's way out of it. The last I saw of her she was passed out from the drugs."

"Did she see anything?"

"You're not threatening my sister!" Said Stiles pointing a finger at his chest, a very hard chest.

Derek held both of his hands up in defeat. "I won't but I need to know."

"I'll see what I can get, but even if she had seen something. Would it be so bad?"

"I won't let more humans into this." The beta's words were serious and firm.

"Maybe, but Lydia will figure it out sooner or later and she's a genius. She can help. And it would make feel better if she knew about Allison."

Taking a breath Derek decided, "If she saw something then you can tell her, but I don't want more people getting hurt, okay?"

"Yeah, by the way, Scott told me what you told him about the shift."

The wolf turned to the spaz with a frown. "Does anything you say have a point?"

"I just mean, it's kinda fucked up! There's got to be some other way to control the shift."

"Yeah," admits Derek grudgingly, "it's called anchors, they help with keeping us humans. They can be a person, a memory, an emotion, anything strong enough."

Stiles thought his words over for a moment, "I'm know I'm being noisy but, what's yours?"

"Anger." The wolf's voice was plain.

Brown eyes looked at Derek as if he was an idiot, turned to walk away and yelled at his back, "I'm throwing the towel with you Sourwolf!"

* * *

"Honey, Stiles is back!" Announced Natalie opening Lydia's door.

"What the hell is a stiles?"

'Oh she was sooo drugged!' "Your brother meany!" Stiles rolled his eyes.

"Sorry darling, she's not really there, she took some more pills after she woke up. Are you sure you can handle this while your dad and I are out?" The boy gave a nod and after leaving Lydia in Stiles' hands she went to get ready for the parent-teacher meeting.

"Don't worry Nat!" Shouted the boy. "Hey Lyds!"

"Stiles! What are you doing here?"

"I left earlier to see how you were doing."

"Why?"

"Cause you're my sister dummy. I was worried about you."

"Awwww, you're my brother! I love you! And I love mom and dad and-" Lydia's voice drift off as Stiles took the pills from the nightstand. Almost half the bottle was gone, chuckling he stared at the redhead.

"I bet you can't say 'I saw Suzy sittin' in a shoeshine shop' Ten times fast."

Lydia huffed as if the request meant nothing. "I saw Shuzy- Uh I shaw-" Stiles quirked his lips in an smug smile. Until he realized the state of unfocused green eyes and heard her mumbling "I saw-"

Bells of warning flashed through Stiles' head and he grabbed Lydia's hand to comfort her. "Lyds, what did you see?

"Something..."

"Something like a mountain lion?" Asked Stiles testing the waters, and gently prying for answers.

"A mountain lion."

"Are you sure you saw a mountain lion? Or are you just saying that cause that's what the police told you?"

Still mumbling she kept chanting over and over. "A mountain lion."

Stiles look at the giraffe on her nightstand, he grabbed it and questioned, "What's this?"

"A mountain Lion."

"Okay. That's it. You're getting back in bed."

After putting her back in bed and sweaping some loose strands of hair off of her face, he stood up from the bed just to have his hand taken by Lydia. As she was about to fall asleep she pleaded softly, "Stay." He complied and sat down besides her, caressing the girl's soft locks.

Not long after Lydia's phone chimed and looking at the now sleeping girl he jokingly whispered, "You want me to get that? It's a text." Fumbling with the cellphone he tried to unlock it. "I don't know how to-" and suddenly there it was. A photo of a red eyed beast. His heart stopped. He had thought that Lydia might have seen something but he now that it was true he wished differently. Still looking at the picture he took his phone out and called.

And called again. And again...

Finally he gave up and left a message in desperation. "Hey, it's me again. Look, I found something and I don't know what to do, okay? So if you could turn your phone on right now, that'd be great. Or else I'll kill you. Do you understand me? I'm going to actually kill you Scott, I'm going to do it, okay? I'm gonna...Ugh! Goodbye!"

He had another contact besides Scott, one who would be more helpful but he wasn't sure how that would work out. But it was still the best choice.

A knock came from the door taking him by surprise. His father and Nat were looking at him and Lydia with a soft smile. Which expressions soon changed. "Please tell me we're gonna hear good news at this parent/teacher thing tonight." The sheriff was resigned and Natalie amused.

"Depends on how you define 'Good news'."

"I define it as you getting straight A's with no behavioral issues."

"You might wanna rethink that definition."

"Enough said."

As they left he could hear his stepmother laughing loudly at his grumbling father. At least someone was entertained.

* * *

His heart kept beating fast as he ran from his house and Kate's words. It wasn't until he finally stopped that he heard his phone ringing. He had forgotten he had it in his pocket and as Stiles' name appeared on the screen he was thankful for it.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Really dude, don't you have manners? Were you raised by wolves? Forget I said that, I know my answer."

"Does this call has a point Stiles? I was in a bit of a situation."

"What? Something happened?" The alarm on the other side of the line put him on edge.

"Doesn't matter."

"Yeah! It does! But you are right, that's not the point. We have a bit of a thing with Lydia here. I called Scott but he's not picking up. Sooo, I kinda-well, I need you."

Even with the sea of emotions inside of him those words made his wolf swell, "I'll be there."

It wasn't until he got into Stiles' room he realized he was missing a shirt. In that same moment the boy came into the room and stopped to look at him. His gaze went through the wolf body and it took Derek by surprise how different was Stiles' arousal and feelings to Kate's. With her he felt dirty and used. But the look Stiles had with those pale pink lips in classic Cupid's bow shape forming an 'O' at the sight in front of him gave Derek's cock all kinds of ideas.

Before either one of them could do anything Derek spoke. "Can I borrow a shirt?"

Stiles, soon enough, started flailing as he looked for a shirt. He knew there was no hope for Derek not to have noticed his actions. He was doomed. He handed over the biggest shirt he could find and made for Derek to follow him.

Derek was surround by his mate's scent which was soon decided not to be a good idea. But better than no clothes at all. He got into Lydia's room just as the girl started to move but without actually waking up.

Stiles gave him a phone he assumed was Lydia's. The screen showed the clearest image they had on the Alpha. And Derek could now understand Stiles' reaction.

"What should we do?"

"This is your sister, Stiles."

"And I don't wanna get her hurt but that can still happen either if I tell her or not."

Derek looked at the sleeping redhead in the bed. "Tell her. If she's as smart as she is supposed to be she might be able to help without putting herself out there. But that's still your choice."

"Can you stay? Help me with it?" At the small voice Derek knew he was screwed.

* * *

Natalie and Noah had just gotten to the school's parking lot when the woman gasped. The sheriff followed her line of sight and quickly understood the woman's reaction. There, by the entrance, stood Daniel Martin. The man had barely kept in contact with Lydia after moving two towns over once the divorce had gone through. Natalie had confessed in one occasion that the man hadn't even fight over Lydia's custody when the teen had decided to stay with her mom. She had never said so to Lydia but Noah knew Lydia was no fool when it came to her father. Stiles had told him some of the things he knew and even though he had never met the man the sheriff was sure he would never be able to look at the man in a good light.

No father should spend months without contacting his daughter, nor sending a car as a birthday gift with a driver but not showing up for the party.

As they got closer Noah put his hands on Natalie's back in a silent support. His wife turned to him with a loving smile. He never thought he would be able to fall in love after Claudia, he loved her with everything he had. But then Natalie came along and gave him hope.

Daniel looked their way once they were close enough. His face was tight and hard. "What is  _he_  doing here?"

Natalie took a breath before speaking, "I could ask you the same thing. But if you really want to know we are here for the meetings about  _our_  children. I imagine you are here for something of that sort?"

"What are you trying to imply Natalie? Of course I'm here for Lydia, I got the mail from school. It'll obviously be all about her dramas but still, I wouldn't have missed it."

This time the answer came from Noah, "Considering that Lydia has only meet you three times these last two years we never thought you would show up."

Mr. Martin gave a cold look which soon went Natalie's way. " _Our_  meeting is in less than 10 minutes. I'd say we should hurry up Nat."

"We know, Noah and I got the email with the classroom weeks ago."

" _He_ 's coming?"

"Like I said, we are here for  _our_  children." With nothing more to say Natalie took Noah's hand and walked toward the classroom. They came across the Argents and introduced themselves which apparently was not necessary. Both of Allison's parents already knew Stiles and Lydia and had quite an impression on both of them. Natalie insisted on a dinner party to know each other better and Noah could see that as much as the Argents had accepted Victoria Argent was not as excited as his wife.

It was finally their turn to meet Lydia's teacher and the three parents went into the room.

The teacher, a woman in her forties, gave them a welcoming smile and invited them to take a seat.

"I'm glad to see all of you here and let me tell you, there's plenty to say about Lydia."

Daniel scoffed, "Did I not predict this?"

"Here we go. Total nuclear meltdown as usual." Remarked Natalie at Daniel's words.

The man ignored his ex, "What is it? Is it her grades, concentration issues, erratic behavior?" With the last words he looked at Natalie.

"I'm not the one who told her she had to choose who she wants to Iive with, as if that wouldn't warp a 16-year-old girl."

After his wife Noah added, "And I'm also sure we can say none of those are Lydia's problems."

Mr. Martin rolled his eyes "Just tell us what the problem is."

With a small smile the teacher simply answered "I wasn't aware that there was a problem."

At those words Natalie gave her ex husband a satisfactory smirk as Noah tried to hide his own. Daniel seemed quite put out about the teacher's statement.

The woman proceed, "Academically, Lydia 's one of the finest students I've ever had. Her A.P. classes push her GPA above a 5.0. I'd actually like to have her l.Q. tested. And socially, she displays outstanding leadership qualities. I mean, she's a real leader." Noah and Natalie looked at each other and the pride they both felt at those words.

Soon enough the meeting was over and as they hurried to get to Stiles' they completely forgot about Daniel Martin.

They were ushered into the coach's office who Natalie huged like old friends, "Natalie! I haven't seen you in a long time!"

Holding back her laugh she spoke. "Weird enough I see you at all the games Bobby."

Turning to the sheriff the coach shook his hand and asked, "What y'doing here Sheriff?"

Noah looked at his wife as if asking if the man was serious. He only got a tight smile as if trying to hold her laughter.

"I'm here for my son. Stiles."

Finstock started to look around the messy desk. "I thought 'Stiles' was his last name."

"His last name is Stilinski." Noah was unimpressed and Natalie was sitting back as if enjoying the show.

The coach pulled a face,"You named your kid 'Stiles Stilinski'?"

"No, that's just what he likes to be called."

"Oh. Well, I like to be called Cupcake."

Natalie snorted, "You just don't change Bobby."

"What is his first name?" The sheriff pointed to the file, "Wow, that's a form of child abuse. I don't even know how to pronounce that!"

"It was his mother's father's name."

"Wow. You must really love that woman!"

Natalie took her husband's hand. She knew how hard was to talk about Claudia. "Yeah, I did."

Finstock stared at them, "Well, this just became incredibly awkward."

Tiredly Noah said, "Hey, what do you say we get to the conference part of this conference, Cupcake?"

"I like your thinking."

Finstock kept looking some other papers on the desk, "So, Stiles. Great kid. Zero ability to focus. Super smart. Never takes advantage of his talents."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, for his final question on his midterm exam, he detailed the entire history of the male circumcision."

"Well, I mean, it does have historical significance, right? I mean-" he looked at his wife who was nodding her head as if thinking the same.

"I teach economics."

"Ah, crap!"

They had gotten out of Finstock's office and were walking to the parking lot.

"I don't see how is this a big deal!"

"Nat, a detailed history of the male circumcision."

"We know Stiles, he gets bored easily, he's too smart for some of this things. Just like Lydia! And even then his grades are good! You'll see honey, they'll be Valedictorian and Salutatorian when they graduate. We have two amazing kids."

Hugging his wife he gave in, "You are right."

"And don't you ever forget it!"

* * *

"So, you're saying Werewolves are real. Scott is a werewolf who was bitten by an Alpha who's the one who's responsible for this hell of a bloodshed. The one I took a picture of. The Argents are hunters, which is obvious now, and they were the ones to kill the Hales. Did I miss anything?"

"A bit." Said Derek sitting on a chair. "But you got the general idea."

"And you're a werewolf," the girl said pointing at the wolf, "and a Hale."

Stiles looked at her as if she had lost her head again. "Lyds, you know that."

Without words the girl stood up and went to her closest. A minute later she came back carrying an old chest. She looked at Stiles with a bit of fear and said, "I found this and I wanted to share it. It was in the basement when we move. It's filled with books and a bunch of other weird stuff. I've barely touched it. I know some of the books are in English, Latin, Greek and Polish. There are others but that's just a general idea. I thought they were fairytales or just jokes but maybe not." She took a deep breath. "Stiles, they are your mom's."

Stiles stood just to take a few more steps ad fell in front of the chest. "How?"

"I don't know. I thought you should be the first to see it"

The boy opened the chest and stared at it. Derek understood the feeling. Stiles took some things out until he came to a book and looked at Derek. Lydia seemed to understand and sat beside the spaz. "That's what I meant with Hale."

The book was a beautiful burgundy color and had a trisquele on the front. The first page stated the book belonged to the Hales and had another trisquele. "That's like your tattoo."

Derek fell beside them. "That's no it. That's my family's bestiary."


	6. Heart Monitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry it has taken me so long to upload but life just kept getting in the way I guess... I'm not sure when I'll be able to upload the next chapter but I hope that it won't take too much... I have essays to write and some exams so I'm really busy at the moment but I'm not abandoning my baby, it's just hard to keep up... I want to thank everyone for your support and like always I would love to hear your thoughts! Luv ya all
> 
> Thanks to my wonderful beta, CosmicStarlight21♥
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owner.

**Heart Monitor**

It was a night later while Lydia was brushing her hair when the Stilinski residence was visited by the born wolf once again. This time the man came through Lydia's window instead of Stiles'. The action only got him a raised eyebrow from the redhead.

"Stiles wasn't in his room." Came from the beta as an answer.

"Hmm, Stiles was right. You are a bit of creeper. But don't worry, I think it turns him on." She kept brushing her hair while looking at him in the mirror.

Derek ignored the comment. "I know he's home. Do you know if I can talk to to him?"

"He's probably about to finish his mothering over Noah. Mom is supposed to cook tonight so he'll be up soon enough. What do you want to talk about?"

"I'm not sure if I should-"

"Oh stop right there. I know you and Stiles think I shouldn't get involved but that's happening whether you like it or not. So you should talk." How this tiny girl was able to make a request sound like a command, the wolf didn't know. He heard Stiles's erratic heart as he went up the stairs. He decided to wait until the boy was in the room to speak.

As expected Stiles came into the room to stop at the sight of the wolf. Then without much of a thought jumped to Lydia's bed and grabbed one of the open books in it. There were about five books spread around and some notebooks beside most of them. It looked like the teens had spent most of the time since he had left the night before going through them.

"So?" Said Lydia as she moved out of the vanity chair signaling for him to take it. Then she went past him and into the bed besides Stiles, "Talk!"

"I wanted to ask how your father was? I came across Scott and he told me the sheriff had been hurt last night."

Lydia cut her brother off as he looked ready to start a rant, "He's fine, he was hit by a car but nothing serious. He got today and tomorrow off. And mom and Stiles haven't left his side. So all in all he's fine. Ignore Stiles, he gets overprotective and is also quite mad at Scott right now." She rolled her eyes. "What do you mean by coming  _across_  Scott?"

"I ambushed him in a parking lot for a training exercise, which was obviously disastrous and we went through a bit of talk."

Stiles gave a groan and threw himself back in the bed which got him a squeak from what Derek had assumed to be a cushion. He had smelled the dog whenever he was at the Stilinski's but had never actually seen it. He wasn't sure if such the small creature could be called a dog, but he wouldn't be the one to judge. Finally the spaz spoke, "How the hell do you pretend to get through to Scott if you keep doing shit like that?"

"If Scott wants to learn to control his animal side that he must do it through anger."

"Have you ever considered that anger might not be the best way to approach this?  _Or_  pain...that may be of some help but not always. Besides, that's usually what gets him all wolfy which also comes as a threat to  _my_  life." He knew Stiles was right but he didn't really know how to change his ways. "What about anchors? I know you said yours was anger which again, doesn't sound good to me but that's for you to think about. I know you said it was kinda hard but that seems a better way."

"I can try to go with something different but I don't promise much. And I  _also_  told you that for the anchors to work best he has to embrace his wolf. That's the main difference between being a born wolf versus a bitten one, we know how to separate ourselves from the wolf but we also know we are still one with it. He needs to understand that."

"What if we give it a try?" Asked Lydia.

"What do you mean?"

"That Stiles and I could try to go over these with Scott. You two don't trust each other and it won't work with just a change of techniques. Maybe we can be of help. I read some things about anchors that will give us an idea and go from there. You'll judge if you think it works and if not you can still try."

"It sounds plausible." Said Stiles as if thinking it over.

"You could get hurt. But we might as well give it a shot. There's also something else, I told Scott to stay away from Allison, at least until the full moon. I would like your help with it. He said he wouldn't but-"

"He's already at Allison's." Added Lydia looking at her phone.

"Great." Growled Derek holding his head.

"Kids! Dinner!" Called Natalie from downstairs.

"I should get going."

"Okay," said Lydia as she stood up. "Good luck terrorizing Scott!"

Stiles and Derek were left alone in the room. Stiles got a step closer to Derek and with his honey brown eyes on the wolf's face he asked, "Are we ever going to talk about how our families might have known each other?"

"We don't know that." But it would explain the recognition he felt when he realized Stiles was his mate.

"Can we at least add that to the ' _we need to talk these later'_  list?" Derek laughed at the teen and received an smile in return.

And then Stiles was in front of him taking a hold of his hands without looking at him in the eyes. "I just want to thank you for yesterday, with Lydia and the book thing and all the other crap that's been going on. Yesterday you were hurt by some psycho-hunter and you still came when I needed you, so, thanks."

"You don't have to thank me Stiles."

That's when Stiles looked up to his eyes and whispered, "You're definitely something else Sourwolf." Derek's eyes traveled through his mate's face. The pink lips, darker than usual as if they had been bitten; his delicate upturned nose; and last his lidded doe-eyes that seemed to be doing the same as Derek. As he looked at his mate he found himself wondering how would it be to have him underneath him; how his lips would part in pants and curses, and he was sure Stiles was one to curse; the way the lithe body would arch; how would those eyes look full of pleasure. Stiles' pupils were blown wide in arousal and the scent of the boy was testing Derek's control. He felt his eyes changing from green to electric blue.

Then, a male voice boomed from downstairs. "Stiles! Get your ass down here now!"

The two broke away and with a last smile the spaz offered a good night and left the room. Derek was leaving to get to Scott's before the boy. And as he made his way he couldn't erase the grin off from his face. Maybe when this was over, just maybe, he would be able to let himself feel.

* * *

Scott was trying to avoid anyone who came across across him. He got to avoid Allison and Jackson without them noticing just to whirl on a new corridor and found Lydia turning to him and yelled a greeting. Worst of all the smile in her face made his stomach churn.

As he finally went into the classroom to find Stiles in one of their usual seats, but the boy ignored his gaze and his face hardened. "Still not talking to me? Can you at least tell me if your dad's okay? I mean, it's just a bruise, right? Some soft tissue damage? Nothing that big? You know I feel really bad about it, right?" He sighed and kept talking, "Okay. What if I told you that I'm trying to figure this whole thing out, and that I went to Derek for help?"

"If I were talking to you I would say that's old news. And that as much as my dad's injuries weren't that bad I would have liked that my friend would have done something about it. Or how I'm also mad about how you never answered your phone as I discovered my sister took a photo of the Alpha and with  _Derek's_  help, who came from an encounter with  _hunters_ , we had to bring her in the whole truth. But I'm obviously not talking to you at the moment."

As the last bell rang he started to take his books out of his bag just to see Stiles looking at him. "Okay! I already talked to Derek and I told him his plan was stupid and Lydia convinced him to let us try something else. Therefore I can't stay mad at you for long even though you're not out of the dog house!" He ended the rant just to quickly twist back adding lowly, "I also know he went to talk to you about the Allison thing. So what did he say?"

They came out of the classroom as Stiles kept the confused look he had had for the past hour. "Why the hell a spiral? "

"I don't know. He said I didn't need to but I think it's important."

"We'll have to look into it but first. Let's teach you how to control this shit!"

* * *

Lydia found herself listening to Allison as she spoke of her family's history. She acted like herself even through the insistence of the brunette of what 'La Bete' actually was. Her friend didn't know, of that she was sure, but by the way she talked these new discoveries it didn't give the strawberry blonde any peace of mind on what kind of path the brunette would follow if she ever found out about what her family actually did.

Lydia had offered to make some digging on the Argents from the inside but Derek and Stiles had forbidden the mere idea of it. So for the time being she would listen to everything with an ear open without tipping them.

Lydia adored Allison. In the girl she had found a true friend. And it broke her heart to think that may not last.

The day before Lydia and Stiles had gone over some of the books. She was a bit ashamed of how she had lied about not reading the books. In truth she just read two of the small diaries after discovering that some of the last entries had been written by a Claudia Gajos later on Claudia Stilinski. There were entries in between Claudia's with a different handwriting but no signature, for a while she had thought they were either delusions or children books with weird stories, silly spells and potions which had passed down from parents to children's and so on. The diaries were written in different languages but mostly either English or Polish. Those had been the books she had given to Stiles in hope that the diaries made him feel if only just a bit closer to his mother and ancestors.

Meanwhile she had taken for herself the Hales' Beasteary. Stiles didn't want to touch it scared of what it could mean. And as she made her way through the pages of mostly Latin, Greek and English Lydia had focused on Werewolves, things like the change, anchors, triggers, and by the last bit of information-mates.

And then it was obvious of course. How hadn't Lydia thought it before? The way they gravitated around each other, the uncontrollable attraction, all the freaking signs had been there!

So yes, Lydia had made her decision the night before. If the Argents ever hurt someone she cared for, specifically her brother and his mate, it wouldn't matter how she felt for Allison, whether the other girl was her best girlfriend or not. Her family was first, her best friend and brother was first. The redhead remembered something her aunt Penny had said once as she talked about a case with Noah and now Lydia understood, _'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.'_

* * *

Stiles wasn't going to lie. He had had a bit fun. He loved Scott but the wolf needed a bit of a punishment in retaliation and if they found a way to actually taught him control, even better. Lydia had agreed with him about controlling the wolf through the heartbeat.

Throwing the balls at his friend had been very liberating but not very helpful; discovering that Allison had calmed Scott during Finstock rant got him thinking and when Scott realized he loved her Stiles was sure. The beating had been a test that just confirmed what Stiles knew. Allison was Scott's anchor. And as screwed up as it was, they had something to start with.

Derek was going to kill him.

* * *

"I need your help. If you can hear me, I need you to give me a sign. Blink. Raise a finger. Anything. Just- Just something to point me in the right direction, okay?" Derek needed help, so he kept talking, trying, "Someone killed Laura. Your niece. Laura? Whoever he is, he's an Alpha now. But he's one without a pack. Which means he's not as strong. I can take him. But I have to find him first." After another deep breath he decided to add, "Not just for me, I found my mate uncle Peter. I need to protect him. Just like you used to say we should do if it happened." But the desperation was taking over, "Look, if you know something, just give me a sign. Is it one of us? Someone else make it out of the fire? Just give me anything. Blink, raise a finger, just anything. Say something!" The last sentence came in out as a shout.

"Let him go. You think after six years of this, yelling at him is going to get a response?"

"You got a better method?"

"Patience. He'll respond if you give him the time."

"I don't have any more time." As he left the building and headed to the camaro he noticed a piece of paper on the windshield. As he looked it over he felt, for the first time, he had somewhere to start with.

* * *

"This is a terrible idea."

"Yeah, I know."

"But we're still gonna do it?" Disbelief dripped from the words.

"Can you think of something better?"

The answer came with honesty, "Well, personally I'm a fan of ignoring a problem until eventually it just goes away."

"Just make sure we can get inside." With that Stiles took the lock cutting tool from the back of the jeep plush a flashlight and his special set of keys.

The camaro drove in the parking lot, "He's here." Turning to Derek as he came out of the car the teen asked, "Where's my boss?

"He's in the back."

Both teens get closer to the car and after a moment Stiles looked back at Derek and spoke, "Oh, he looks comfortable. Really Sourwolf, you need manners." With that the best friends walked into the school.

"Wait. Hey. What are you doing?"

"You said I was linked with the Alpha. I'm gonna see if you're right."

When they were inside the office Stiles broke their silence, "Okay, one question. What are you gonna do if the Alpha doesn't show up?"

"I don't know."

"And what are you gonna do if he does show up?"

"I don't know."

"Good plan." Stiles deadpanned.

"All right. You said that a wolf howls to signal his position to the rest of the pack, right?"

"Right, but if you bring him here, does that make you part of his pack?"

"I hope not." Scott puppy eyes showed some fear with the answer.

"Yeah, me too." The spaz put the microphone in front of the wolf. "All right. All you."

Scott cleared his throat, clicked on and... the most pathetic shrill howl echoed all around. In the parking lot Derek turned to look back at the building, "You've got to be kidding me." How was this his life again?

Back inside Scott asked, "Was that okay? I mean, that was a howl, right?"

"Yeah, technically."

"Well, what did it sound like to you?"

"Like a cat being choked to death, Scott." Stiles' brutal honesty made Scott freak out and he was at a loss of what to do.

"What do I do? How am I supposed to do this?"

Stiles took the situation in hand and reassured the beta, "Hey, hey. Listen to me. You're calling the Alpha. All right? Be a man. Be a werewolf, not a teen wolf. Be a werewolf. Do it."

"Okay." Inhaling once while tapping in his wolf the teen finally howled, and the amazing roar boomed thoughout the building.

* * *

Stiles was coming out of the school with Scott when he saw Derek's face.

"I'm gonna kill both of you. What the hell was that? What are you trying to do, attract the entire state to the school?"

It didn't matter how mad Derek was, what they did had been amazing in his book

"Sorry. I didn't know it would be that loud."

"Yeah, it was loud. And it was awesome." The last word came as an excited scream from the spaz.

Derek face hardened,"Shut up."

"Don't be such a Sourwolf." Said Stiles, he had thought Derek was past those rude attitudes.

"What'd you do with him?" Stiles noticed what his friend meant at the same time as Derek. Deaton was gone.

"What? I didn't do anything."

And then all Stiles could see was blood. He felt Scott dragging him to the school as he got a glimpse of Derek's limp body flying to the side of the school. Finally his friend pulled them inside but there was only one thought in Stiles' mind.

_Derek Hale was dead._


	7. Night School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! I decided to publish this chapter now because I might not be able to update soon. I've got too many classes, soon there will be exams... and I'm actually working in another story (a SPN/HP crossover for those interested... also looking for a Beta for the story JSYK) which I swear was not my intention, I wanted to have my full attention in here... but just like with this fic once that one was in my head I couldn't get it out and it took life and I won't stop now... So yes, I'll be working on two stories and it might be hard but I'll manage (I hope!).
> 
> I don't want to leave you guys hanging for longer than you should so without further ado, here it is the next chapter...
> 
> Thanks to my wonderful Beta CosmicStarlight21!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owner.

 

**Night School**

_Blood._

_A body soaring through the air._

_Pain._

_Red murderous eyes taking away what he cared for._

_Green-Hazel eyes. Electric blue ones._

_Pain._

_Sorrow._

_Shallow breathing._

_Blood._

_Pain._

_Death._

_Derek._

_Beautiful_ _kaleidoscope eyes._

_Never again._

* * *

"STILES!"

His eyes refocused and he felt Scott shaking him. When the wolf realized Stiles was back he started talking again, "Stiles help me! We have to lock it!"

Still disoriented he asked, "What?"

"Stiles!"

The human finally understood what his friend meant. "How the hell do you want me to do that? Do-Do I look like I have a key?"

Scott opened his eyes in disbelief, "You have keys for everything!"

"Not for this! But you're right, maybe if we just lock the door and say to Mr. Alpha to come back later he won't  _tear us apart!_ "

Derek.

_Blood._

_Pain._

"We have to delay him somehow. Grab something!"

"What?"

"Anything!" An idea shocked Stiles as he looked back outside and saw a chain cutter tool on the floor. Scott followed his gaze. "No."

"Yes." Answered the spaz with determination.

"Stiles, no, don't."

As Stiles went out Scott saw the Alpha coming from behind the jeep and called through the door, "Come back, come back! Stiles!" The other teen ran back and locked the door with the tool leaving them both panting.

They looked over the door's windows, "Where is it? Where'd it go?" They stepped away from the door and Scott asked again, "That won't hold, will it?"

"Probably not."

They heard howling again and in fear ran over to the closest classroom, "The desk."

The desk screeched but Stiles stopped Scott, "Shh! Stop, stop. The door's not gonna keep it out."

"I know."

"It's your boss." 'Derek was right' added Stiles to himself, 'and now he was dead.'

_Unfocused_ _kaleidoscope_ _green eyes_ _._

_P_ _ain._

_Dead._

"What?"

Annoyed Stiles kept going, "Deaton, the Alpha? Your boss."

"No."

"Yes, murdering psycho werewolf."

"That can't be."

"Oh, come on. He disappears, and that thing shows up ten seconds later to toss Derek twenty feet through the air? That's not convenient timing?" How could Scott be this trusting? That thing had killed Derek.

"It's not him."

"He killed Derek." And there it was, it started again, the panic. Memories flew around Stiles.

_Limp body, stabbed by_ _a_ _huge claw._

_Pain._

_Sorrow._

_Fear._

"No, Derek's not dead. He can't be dead."

Stiles' eyes went foggy through the treacherous tears threatening to fall down his face at the memory. "I saw blood spurting out of his mouth, okay? That doesn't exactly qualify as a minor injury. He's dead! He's been trying to help us and now he's  _dead_."

"Okay, just-, What do we  _do_?"

Stiles breathed heavily once again attempting to keep the panic at bay. "We grab Derek, get to my jeep, we get out of here, then you seriously think about quitting your job. Good?" Scott nodded and they ran to look outside. The wolf tried to open the window, "No, they don't open. The school's climate-controlled."

"Then we break it."

"Which will make a lot of noise." Stiles said logically. He knew if he stopped using logic he would fall.

"Then...then we run really fast. Really fast." The beta looked toward the jeep and frowned, "Stiles, what's wrong with the hood of your jeep?"

"What do you mean? Nothing's wrong."

"It's bent."

"Like dented?"

"No, I mean bent."

Stiles tried to point the flashlight through the window, "What the hell-" He was cut as something broke through the window and they both went down. They turned to see the object as Stiles said, "That's my battery."

He went to get up but Scott brought him back down again. "Don't move."

"We have to move."

"He could be right outside."

"He is right outside."

"Just let me take a look." Said the wolf.

"Anything?"

"No."

"Move now?"

"Move now."

"This way." Decided Scott as he walked away just to be stopped by his friend.

"No, no, no, no. Somewhere  _without_  windows."

"Every single room in this building has windows." Whisper-yelled Scott.

"Or somewhere with  _less_  windows."

A bulb lighted up in Scott's head, "The locker room."

"Yeah."

"Okay."

They got to they locker room and the wolf spoke again,"Call your dad."

"And tell him what?"

"I don't know, anything. There's a gas leak, a fire, whatever. If that thing sees the parking lot filled with cop cars, it'll take off."

"What if it doesn't? What if it goes completely Terminator and kills every cop in sight,  _including_  my dad?"

"They have guns."

"Yeah, and Derek had to be shot with a wolfsbane laced bullet to even slow him down, you remember that?" At the thought of Derek again, Stiles' mind could only remember the blood coming out of the man's mouth as he was stabbed by the Alpha's claw.

"Then we have to find a way out and just run for it."

"There's nothing near the school for at least a mile." At the words of his friend the spaz got it together and thought logically once again; but it hurt, in so little time the man had made himself with a spot in Stiles' heart and now, now he was dead.

"What about Derek's car?"

'How could just hearing the name hurt?' But he would not deal with feelings now, 'keep logical', "That could work."

"We go outside, we get him and the keys, and then we take his car."

Scott heard a faint clattering and took Stiles' arm before he could open the door, "What?"

"I think I heard something."

"Like what?" A frightened Stiles squeaked.

"Shh, quiet." They heard footsteps, "Hide." Both went inside different lockers unluckily causing a bit of a raucous with the doors but still got in.

After Scott being discovered they both fell out of the lockers yelling as janitor screamed with them. "Ah! Son of a bitch!"

"Shh, quiet!" Whispered Stiles to the man.

"Quiet my ass, what the hell are you trying to do, kill me? Both of you get out."

"Just listen for half a second, okay?" Tried the spaz again.

"Not okay. Get the hell out of here right now." Demanded the janitor as he pushed them to the door.

"God, just one second to explain." Pleaded Stiles to the man.

"Just shut up and go. Ah!" The man was yanked back to the locker room and the teens saw as the alpha attacked the janitor and the man screamed and the growling became more violent.

_And then there he was again, blood dripping and Derek_ _stabbed_ _from behind and then thrown, flying through the air._

Scott tried to open the door to help the man and Stiles came out of his trance, he knew they couldn't do anything, so he grabbed ahold of the wolf away and started to run away.

* * *

"Lydia says we're coming to get you."

Allison sighted over the phone, "Please don't. I'm sure he's on his way. He's only 26 minutes late."

Lydia spoke, "You hear that? First, it's 'He's only 26 minutes late', a month later it's, 'He only hits me when he's drunk.' Slippery slope, Allison. Slippery slope."

"We 're picking you up." Added the blond.

"No." Insisted the brunette on the other side of the line.

"Too late." Stated Jackson stopping the car in front of Allison. From inside he added, "Lydia gets what Lydia wants. Come on, get in. We can stop by his place and see if he's there." As Jackson talked to Allison over the car's window Lydia couldn't understand how Scott could be late, Stiles had told her they weren't supposed to be long for whatever they were doing.

The redhead heard the other girl's phone beeping, "Is that him with the best explanation ever of why he's half a freaking hour late?"

"Not exactly."

Minutes later they were parking in front of the school and Lydia knew it was bad. Jackson got out to let Allison out of the car. She got out too while Jackson and Allison talked about Scott's message. The she stated the obvious, "Scott's phone is broken."

"Maybe he got a new one?" Spoke the brunette, face adorned with a frown.

"He doesn't have the money yet, Stiles told me so." She turned to the other two. She looked around to find the camaro and the jeep, and in a closer inspection she saw the hood of her brother's 'baby' bent. Not good. "You stay here, this doesn't feel right."

Jackson tried to stop her but she shook his hand off of her elbow. She knew the other two was following her from behind. She turned to look at them for a second and she noticed how close the two were walking together, and she frowned in response.

Lydia was no idiot. She knew her boyfriend could fool around with other girls, she was almost sure it had never come to actually something but from what she saw behind her, she got certain doubts. Gritting her teeth she said, "I need to use the restroom. "

"You kidding me? You need to use the bathroom now?" Jackson snorted.

"Yeah, you have a problem with my performing a basic biological function?"

"You know, I'm starting to have a problem with all of your functions."

Once in the bathroom she took a deep breath. Outside she heard as Allison walked away calling for Scott. Then she heard Jackson calling out for someone too but couldn't make exactly what he said. A second later she was out.

* * *

Both teens kept running all around the school trying to find a way out just to discover that the Alpha had locked them in. They were waking down a hallway as Stiles ranted over dying in school, and what the hell the monster wanted when they saw him on the roof opposite to them. The beast ran and broke a window as the wolf and his friend escaped and took the stairs.

They got to the basement with the Alpha still on their tail. The doved to a different hall from the Alpha and waited to hear something when Stiles got an idea, he took a pair of keys from his pocket and pushed Scott behind the open door beside them. He threw the keys inside and the Alpha went right to the rattling keys and Stiles closed the door. He looked at the other teen and pointed behind them. "The desk. Come on, the desk." They blocked the door but the red-eyed beast pushed against the door, opening it just a little.

In a brief moment of victory they relaxed which was soon stopped short when they realized the alpha went up and escaped through the ceiling.

As the walked out of the basement Scott heard it. Allison's ring tone. He took Stiles' phone and called her number. "Stiles?" Was the confused answerer.

"No, it's me, where are you?"

"I'm in the school looking for you, why weren't you at my place?"Allison asked a bit reproachably.

"Where are you right now?"

"On the first floor."

"Where? Where are you exactly?" Insisted the wolf.

"The swimming pools."

"Get to the lobby. Go now." Ordered the beta.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming."

The boys got to the lobby at the same time as the brunette.

"Why did you come? What are you doing here?"

"Because you asked me to." Retorted Allison as if it was obvious.

"I asked you to?" She showed the wolf the said text message.

"Why do I get the feeling you didn't send this message?"

"Because I didn't."

"Crap! Lydia was right." Whispered the girl.

Despite how quiet Allison's words had been, the spaz still heard her. "What? Asked Stiles, "What do you mean?"

"They brought me here."

" _They_?" This time the question came from Scott.

Allison's phone rang again and she answered, "Where are you?"

A door opened, Lydia and Jackson came out from it. "Finally." Said the redhead at the sight of the group and went directly to hug her brother.

But heavy thuds could be heard from above them. Lydia grabbed on tight to Stiles' arm as Scott yelled them to run and her brother pushed her in front of him. The ceiling collapsed and growling could be heard behind them.

They got to the cafeteria while Scott closed the door and started yelling. "Help me get this in front of the door."

"Scott, wait, not here." Stiles tried to demand, just to be ignored.

"What was that? Scott, what was that?" Yelled Allison.

Lydia was starting to freak out and looked over at her brother. Soon enough she saw the problem too.

"Will you just help me? The chairs, stack the chairs." The other three kept pilling up things.

"Guys can we just wait a second? You guys, listen to me! Can we wait a second? Guys? Stiles talking." How the hell were they so deaf? Lydia was too freaked out to actually  _say_  something. She knew what was happening. It didn't make things better. "Can we hang on one second, please?" The spaz finally yelled, "Hello!" Everyone turned to him. "Okay, nice work. Really beautiful job, everyone. Now, what should we do about the twenty-foot wall of windows? "

"Can somebody please explain to me what's going on, because I'm losing it over here. And I would like to know why Scott."

Lydia looked at her brother and saw tears in his eyes. She had some of those too but where hers were from fear Stiles' were from pain. That's when she noticed the missing individual who was supposed to be with them. In a small voice she asked, "Stiles? Where is  _he_?"

Scott, Allison and Jackson turned to look at the siblings as the redhead got closer. Stiles knew who she meant and there it was again. The  _blood_ , the  _pain_  in that beautiful face. The panic attack started until he felt someone pinching his nose to stop the erratic breathing. He looked at Lydia but everyone was staring at him too. In a small voice with tears streaking down his cheek he managed to choke out, "He's dead."

A gasp came from Allison's direction at those words but Lydia shook her head. She had  _read_  about mates. She remembered all of it. She  _had_  to, for Stiles. She knew if one mate died the other would soon follow, but that was after the bound had been sealed; but even before that if one of them died it would mean an insufferable pain for the other. If Derek were really dead Stiles wouldn't be standing in front of her. So she did her best to reassure her brother.

"Stiles.  _Bracie, spójrz na mnie!_ " Stiles obeyed at the Polish. "He can't be dead."

"He was stabbed Lyds. Blood poured out of his mouth. He's  _dead_." The last sentence came out broken and the other three looked away from the siblings. Not even Jackson could handle the tears and pain written across Stiles' face.

Lydia shook her head again and rested her forehead on her brother's. "Look deep inside you Stiles. Focus, don't think about what you  _saw_  but what you  _feel_." Stiles did not understand but closed his eyes tightly anyway. The girl then asked, "what do you feel?"

"Pain. But it's better now. Fear. Determination. Love." Stiles opened his eyes as they went wide. "How? What?"

"It's not my place to tell you but I swear, he's not dead." Everyone went silent after that.

Allison yelled again after another minute of silence. "What the hell is going on? Scott?"

But the one who spoke was Stiles, "We were here, with Derek-"

"Derek Hale?" Sneered Jackson.

"Yes, you dumbass! And one second he was there talking and then..." the tears wouldn't stop as his voice broke, "Then blood poured out of his mouth and he was thrown away. We just ran."

"Somebody killed the janitor." Stated Scott.

"What?" Came from three voices in the room.

"Yeah," confirmed the spaz, "the janitor's dead."

"What's he talking about? Is this a joke?" Allison couldn't believe anything of what was happening.

"What, who killed him?" And Allison seemed to agreed with Jackson's question.

Allison started freaking out again, "But all these deaths were supposed to be over! The mountain lion was killed-"

The blond boy finally yelled, "No, don't you get it?! There was never a mountain lion."

"Who was it? What does he want? What's happening? Scott!"

Said boy stammered, "I don't know. I just-, If we go out there, he's gonna kill us."

"Us? He's gonna kill us?" Asked the redhead confused throwing a questioning look to her brother.

"Who? Who is it?" Begged Allison, and Lydia couldn't help but think that with all the yelling the Alpha already knew their location.

"We don't know." Whispered Scott. "But whoever they are it killed them. Derek," at Derek's name Stiles whimpered, "the janitor, all of them!"

"All of them?" Repeated the brunette girl.

"Yes, starting with Laura, Derek's sister."

"And the bus driver?" Questioned Allison.

"And the guy in the video store." Added the wolf.

Lydia finally spoke again. "It's been that the whole time. There was never a mountain lion"

"Lydia, did you know about this?" Wondered her boyfriend.

"Since last night."

"Derek's been trying to find the guy, that's how we met." This came from Stiles. "And now it is in here with us. If we don't get out now he's 's going to kill us, too."

"Call the cops." Ordered Jackson to his girlfriend's brother.

"No."

"What do you mean, "No"?"

"I mean no. You want to hear it in Spanish? No." Retorted the spaz. "Look, whoever this is killed at least three people, okay? We don't know what he's armed with."

"Your dad is armed with an entire sheriff's department." Reasoned Jackson who was clearly annoyed. "Call him."

"I won't let that thing kill my dad!" At her brother's words Lydia sobbed.

"I'm calling." Ended Allison.

"No, Allison, would you just hold on a second?" As Stiles went to stop the girl Jackson pushed him away.

"Jax! Stop it!"

The call was answered after a second beep. "Yes, we're at Beacon Hills High School. We're trapped, and we need you to... " Allison stopped, "But-," She looked at her phone and then to her friends. "She hung up on me."

"The police hung up on you?" The blond boy aked.

"She said they got a tip warning them that there are gonna be prank calls about a break-in at the high school. She said if I called again that they're gonna trace it and have me arrested."

"Okay, then call again." Huffed the lacrosse captain.

"No, they won't trace a cell. They'll send a car to your house before they send anyone here." Spoke Stiles knowingly.

"What the-, What is this? Why does this person want to kill us? Why is he killing anyone?"

"Why's everyone looking at me?" Frowned Scott.

"Is he the one that sent the text?" Questioned the brunette once again.

"No. I mean, I don't know."

"Is he the one that called the police?" Asked Allison again and Lydia found herself annoyed at her friend. Couldn't she understand that they know nothing about the Alpha?

"I don't know!" Finally yelled Scott.

"All right, why don't we just back off the throttle here, yeah?" Said Stiles calmly taking Lydia and Scott aside. "Okay, I think that quick thinking went great and some of it is technically true."

"I didn't know what to say." Answered Scott scared. "I had to say something." Then something dawned on him, "God, I totally just bit her head off."

"And she'll have to totally get over it." Huffed the redhead annoyed at her friend's attitude.

"Lyds is right Scott! Bigger issues at hand here, like how do we get out alive?"

"But we are alive. It could've killed us already. It's like it's cornering us or something." Scott's voice was full of fear.

"So what, he wants to eat us all at the same time?" Snarked the spaz.

"No! Derek said it wants revenge."

"Against who?" Wondered Stiles.

"Allison's family?" Guessed his sister.

"Maybe that's what the text was about. Someone had to send it." Realized Stiles.

"Okay, assheads." Yelled Jackson from behind them. "New plan. Stiles calls his useless dad and tells him to send someone with a gun and decent aim. Are we good with that?"

Lydia's eyes hardened and she looked at the blond. "You say something like that again about  _my_  father and I swear Jax, I'll destroy you." The words were cold and everyone stared at the girl in surprise.

Then, Scott spoke, "But he's right." He turned to Stiles. "Tell him the truth if you have to, just call him."

"I'm not watching my dad get eaten alive." Answered his friend.

Jackson had enough, he went to grab the spaz, "All right, give me the phone." He was met with getting hit by the boy.

Allison went to the blond and Lydia looked at her boyfriend with a frown, "Jackson! Are you okay? Hey, are you okay?"

Finally, Stiles took out his phone, "Dad, hey, it's me." Stiles stopped as he heard something but Lydia got the sight of Jackson smirking and then again faking pain in front of Allison, "And it's your voicemail. Look, I need you to call me back now. Like, right now." A loud banging started at the door, "We're at the school, okay? We're at the school."

"Oh, God. Oh, my God." Exclaimed a frightened Lydia who grabbed onto her brother for dear life.

"The kitchen, the door out of the kitchen leads to the stairwell." Stated Stiles.

"Which only goes up!"

"Up is better than down here." And with that they ran. They were out of the stairwell and into the hallway when Stiles saw  _him_.

There, holding himself up with the help of the lockers, was  _Derek_.

_The Derek that he had thought dead. The Derek he now could feel. The one he was falling in love with._

He broke on a run and crashed into the man. They swayed for a moment until they were both back steady in the ground and Stiles took Derek's face and looked him over. There was still blood, his shirt was riped up in several places and it was obvious he was still hurt. Honey brown eyes was drowned with tears again, "I thought you were dead."

His voice was broken and the only thing Derek could really do was to hold on tight to his mate and promise, "I'll never leave you."

Lydia cleared her throat and motioned to an open door. They got into the chem lab, Stiles supported Derek and the other wolf locked the door and put a chair against it. They were all panting. They stayed as quiet as they could while they could make out a growling just outside.

"Jackson, how many people can fit in your car?" Asked Scott hurriedly.

"Five, if someone squeezes on someone's lap."

"Five? I barely fit in the back." Scoffed an annoyed Allison.

Stiles rested Derek on the floor against a desk, "It doesn't matter. There's no getting out without drawing attention."

"What about this?" Asked Scott pointing at a door behind the teacher's desk. "This leads to the roof. We can go down the fire escape to the parking lot in, like seconds."

"That's a deadbolt." Stated the spaz.

"The janitor has a key."

"You mean his body has it."

Scott leaned into Stiles and whispered, "I can get it. I can find him by scent, by blood."

"Well, gee, that sounds like an incredibly terrible idea. What else you got?"

"I'll go with him." They looked at Derek as if he was crazy.

"You're not moving out my sight!" Ordered the older wolf's mate. "You're not healed."

That caught Scott's attention, "Wait, why aren't you healing?"

"It's an Alpha's wound. It's healing, just really slowly." Stiles looked at the man worriedly.

"I'm getting the key." The teen wolf could be so stubborn.

"Are you serious?" Whispered the brunette.

"Well, it's the best plan. Someone has to get the key if we want to get out of here."

"You can't go out there unarmed."

He grabbed a board pointer, everyone looked at him in doubt. "Well, it's better than nothing."

"There's gotta be something else." Insisted his friend.

"There is." Lydia looked at the chemical.

"What are we gonna do? Throw acid on him?" Stiles wondered what the hell his sister was thinking.

"No. Like a fire bomb. In there is everything you need to make a self - igniting Molotov Cocktail!"

Stiles stood up and grabbed Lydia's face and put a kiss in the top of her head. "You're a genius sis!"

The other four looked at them and Lydia only answered "What? I read it somewhere." In no time Lydia had done the bomb and handed over to Scott. Allison kept insisting for him not to go out but he did so anyway.

Time passed away in silence until it was broken eventually by Allison. "I don't get this. I don't get why he's out there, and why he left us. And I can't- I can't stop my hands from shaking."

"It's okay." Said Jackson calmly. "It's okay, it's gonna be okay." The siblings looked at the exchange one with anger and the other with slight pain. Derek rolled his eyes at the brunette, so much for an Argent. The girl was either an Oscar worthy actress or a real life angsty teen.

"Okay."

Lydia looked at the chemicals on the table, "Jackson, you handed me the sulfuric acid, right? It has to be sulfuric acid. It won't ignite if it's not."

"I gave you exactly what you asked for, didn't I?" Answered Jackson aggressively. Derek held back a growl, he didn't like the way his mate's sister was treated. She reminded him of Laura and Cora, he already cared for the girl.

"Watch your tone!" Warned Stiles as he saw fear lurking in Lydia's eyes. But soon Lydia decided she had had enough, she marched to the table with the chemicals to discover that, yes, Jackson hadn't given her the sulfuric acid.

"Do you have any idea of what you've done?"

Jackson sneered at her, "Shut up Lydia."

Fire burned in the green eyes and in a cold voice the girl said, "No! I'm tired of you! You bully my brother even when I asked you not to, you criticize the man that is a father to me every moment you can. You always try to put me down, so yes, I'm tired. Especially because thanks to what you just did, mistake or not, Scott won't have a way to defend himself." A gasp came from Allison as she took her hands away from Jackson. "You and I are over Jackson. And come tomorrow, I will destroy you in every way possible."

Jackson looked mad but deep inside, Stiles saw fright too. Pride swell in his chest and he grabbed Derek's hand and shot him smile. The wolf understood, Lydia showed how strong she was and he agreed with his mate. Lydia deserved better.

Just then Jackson fell to the floor in pain and moments later got back up as if nothing had happened; and that's when Stiles saw it. Claw marks on Jackson's neck. Catching his sister's green eyes he pointed to the neck of the blond and with a brief sign she made it clear that it was a conversation for later. But an argument started again until Stiles had enough, "All right, can we not argue for half a second here?"

"Where's Scott? He should be back." And later they finally heard something. Sitles looked at Derek with questioning eyes amd the man mouthed Scott as an explination but couldn't help but frown , not really understanding what was happening with the other wolf; but soon enough his eyebrows went up and the key breaking over the other side of the door was heard. "Scott! Scott!"

"What's going on?" Wondered Lydia.

Stiles was scared, "I don't know."

"Wait! Do you listen to that?" The teens ran to the window in time to see some cruisers from the sheriff station pulling over in the parking lot. Lydia look at Stiles who was helping Derek up and smiled, they were safe now.

* * *

Derek, who was still was leaning on Stiles, the said boy and his sister came out of the school with the sheriff, who kept eyeing his son and the other man worriedly,as they were explaining what had happened, at least the same story they had told to Allison and Jackson. "You sure you didn't see who it was?" Questioned the sheriff.

"Yes dad, it was dark and we were freaked out."

The sheriff turned to the older beta, "What about you son? Did you see who attacked you?"

"No sir. They came from behind me and then threw me away. I passed out and when I woke I knew I had to find Stiles." After a look from the sheriff he added hastily, "And Scott of course."

"What about the janitor?" Asked the crooked jaw boy.

"We're still looking."

"Did you check under the bleachers? Under them?"

"Yeah, Scott, we looked. We pulled them out just like you asked, there's nothing."

"I'm not making this up."

"I know, I believe you, I do."

"No, you don't." Insisted the teen, "You have this look like you feel bad for me. Like you want to believe me, but I know you don't."

The sheriff sighed, "Listen to me. We're gonna search this whole place and we're gonna find him. Okay? I promise"

Then they heard a commotion and turned to see Natalie running their way with a deputy not far behind trying to stop her. The spaz's stepmother ran into them and took in a strong hug both of her children like a lifeline. Scott took Derek away from the family so Stiles could hug her back, Lydia took the sheriff's hand and then the four were hugging each other with some tears in their eyes.

"Sheriff!" Called a deputy.

"Stay. All of you."

Natalie looked at Derek who was given to Stiles again, "Oh dear, you're hurt! There's an ambulance over there, come on!

"I'm fine ma'am. And I don't really like doctors."

"Nonsense! Stiles, bring him!

They got into the ambulance to find Deaton sitting there. They were all shocked, "There you are," said the man. "I heard what happened."

Natalie looked at the group, assuming they were just confused she explained, "Dr. Deaton was found unconscious, he was taken from the Animal Clinic to wake up here."

The paramedic took Derek and sat him. He cheeked him all over and ultimately declared in a confused frown that the wolf wasn't seriously hurt. He checked the back wound and made a couple of stiches. Cheeked for a concussion and made some basic questions, and stated that Derek was good to go. Natalie excused herself to go and talk to Noah giving them all a look between relief and worry.

"Well, we survived guys." Finally said Stiles. "You know? We outlasted the Alpha. It's still good, right? Being alive?"

But something bothered Scott, "When we were in the chemistry room, he walked right by us. You don't think that it heard us? You don't think it knew exactly where we were?

Derek eyed the teen. "Of course he did."

"Well, then how come we're still alive?" Wondered Lydia who had been silent the whole time.

"It wants me in its pack. But I think, first. I have to get rid of my old pack." At these words Derek closed his eyes in understanding.

"What do you mean? What old pack?"

"Allison. Jackson, Lydia. You." Answered the wolf to his best friend; he looked at the older wolf, "probably even you!"

And then the siblings understood, "The Alpha doesn't want to kill us."

"He wants me to do it. And that's not even the worst part."

"How in holy hell is that not the worst part, Scott?"

"Because when he made me shift I wanted to do it. I wanted to kill you. All of you."

Stiles and Lydia seemed shocked and at the scent of salty tears Derek squeezed Stiles hip, whom even though he didn't need to was still holding him, and put his hand on the redhead's shoulder as reassurance.

Next they saw Scott running after Allison as Natalie and Noah came closer. "Ready to go?" Asked the woman.

"I should probably-" Derek started.

"Oh no mister," said Natalie in her 'mom voice', "you'll be staying with us for the time being. I heard what you told to the EMT. It's in no way healthy for you to live in your old house. Neither physically nor mentally; Noah and I decided you can stay in the guest room."

Derek was already shaking his head, "There's no need-"

"Yes there is, for what I know you tried to look after my kids. And you're hurt no matter what the paramedic said."

The sheriff's face looked lost between reluctance and sympathy. "I would do what she says son, Nat always gets what she wants."

Amused Stiles added, "Just like Lydia. They are scary."

Derek looked at the faces of his mate's family and at the pleading look of his mate and Lydia he gave in. The sheriff nodded. "Well, I won't be able to stay but I can drive you and come back."

"No need sheriff," spoke Derek, "I have my car."

The sheriff assessed the man, "Okay, but you go to the house and that's it. I'm sure you want to get some clothes but I don't want anyone out tonight." Derek agreed and lead the others to the camaro. When he was stopped by the sheriff again. He went back to the sheriff checking that the other three went into the car. Stiles stood by it looking at his father, Derek ignored the look.

"Sir?"

Noah sighed, "Look son, I agree with my wife, it can't be good for you to stay at that place. And I won't lie, I arrested you once and you might not be a killer but I guess you can understand if I'm not all that happy to have an ex murder suspect in my house, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

"I understand sheriff."

"And I don't know what's going on with you and my son. He's not a bad kid, he can be too much but that's what makes him Stiles. I also know you're not a bad person, I knew your mother, I see a lot of her in you behind this facade you have going kid. I want to trust you Derek. But I also want to state that my son is underage, he's older in his own way, but still sixteen. I won't tell either of you to stay away from each other. I know Stiles. I'm not giving any kind of permission though and I trust that if something were to happen you will do whatever you think is right. I saw the way he looked at you and the way you protected both him and Lydia. I'm trusting you now Derek, don't make me regret it."

Derek chest tightened at the man's words, "You won't sir."

"But Hale, if something happens to my son, I know a place where no one will find you." At Derek's serious face he smiled, "And drop the 'Sir' son, it's Noah." The sheriff squeezed the wolf's shoulder and turned away.

Derek got to the car and Stiles gave him a questioning look. "Drop it and get it."

The teen rolled his eyes, "You're such a charmer."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Bracie, spójrz na mnie!" - "Brother, look at me!"


	8. Settling In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to their rightful owner.
> 
> As always thanks to my beta CosmicStarlight21!
> 
> So sorry it's taken me so long to update but school is crazy and I barely have time to breathe let alone to write... but here it is, hope you like it!

**Settling in**

Stiles was woken by the light coming from one of the basement windows. Silently he cursed forgetting about them but thanked that the blinds of the egress window had already been closed.

He went to move and it was when he realized he had a body hugging his arm. Following the left side of his body he saw an sleeping Lydia. His brain, still half sleep, tried to remember the previous night and why were both him and Lydia in the basement's fluffy carpet. He saw the chest with a pile of books beside it but he knew it had not been a research what had left them sleeping in the basement.

That's when it hit,  _the school_ ,  _the Alpha_ ,  _Derek_.

Derek had come home with them.

And when Stiles turned to his other side he saw some of the pillows and blankets they usually had for this sort of situations.

It hit him again. He had slept beside Derek Hale.

Trying to remember it all he thought about the previous night.

_They got into the Stilinki residence close to one am and all of them looked dead on their feet. Natalie turned to the her kids and Derek. "Okay, Stiles, darling get Derek settle on the guest room and show him around the basics. Lyds honey, you come with me so we can find something for Derek to sleep in. Then everyone can go to sleep. I'm sure tomorrow we'll have a bit of a late morning so don't take too long."_

_"Wait mom," the redhead took her mother's arm, "can we sleep on the basement for tonight?" Looking at her feet she added, "I don't want to be alone right now."_

_Natalie saw her daughter's eyes to find fear. And gazing at the other two she realized that maybe they all needed company for the night. "Sure baby, help me find something for Derek and the boys can settle everything downstairs. "_

_Thirty minutes later the three of them were sitting around in the blankets. Lydia rested on Stiles' arms and Derek was beside the boy with their sides touching. Silence reigning over them. But of course, Stiles broke it._

_"I know you are hurt, but I'm so fucking glad you broke up with Jackson. He never deserved you."_

_Lydia gave a watery laugh. "It's true though, I've had enough. And tomorrow I'll start on his social destruction." The boys laughed._

_Derek looked around the room. "This is nice."_

_Lydia's answered with a blinding smile, "Thanks! We did it soon after mom and I moved in. It was use just as storage and some stuff are still here but most of it was taken to the attic. I wanted a place where I could have friends over without our parents hovering and I convinced Stiles to make the room a playroom of sorts. We fixed it, decorated it, made it work; we use it when there are friends over, or when we've had a hard day and just need each other. It's like our safe haven."_

_Derek smiled at the siblings and put his arms around them, Stiles looked at him resting his cheek on Derek's arm as he caressed the back of the neck of his mate's sister. Derek knew what he was doing and as much as he would have liked to avoid it he couldn't. Scent marking both teens made his wolf calm. Stiles and Lydia were pack._

_Stiles yawned, "I know we should probably plan a way to save the world or something but I just want to sleep."_

At the memories Stile smiled and got up. He checked his phone and it showed ten am. He shook Lydia awake and they both went up the stairs where their senses were overrun by what smelled like a wonderful breakfast.

In the kitchen they found their parents sitting down, both of them with coffee mugs, and Derek cooking in front of the stoves. Something went through Stiles at the sight.

Lydia moaned at the smell, "This is heaven."

The sheriff turned to the girl and whispered, "He's cooking actual bacon and sausages, we're keeping him."

Natalie laughed, "You really shouldn't have Derek."

"It's the least I could do."

Stiles looked amused, "Just so you know I won't have your ass over feeding greasy food today. I'm too tired."

"We had a late night." Complained Lydia.

"Yeah, how the hell are you this awake? I woke up because of the sun but I could go back to sleep now and die."

The wolf turned with a light smile, "Oh! It's nothing really. I woke up around eight and left quickly to grab my stuffs. I left it on the room Stiles pointed last night and started with the coffee. I imagine we still have to go give our statements so going back to sleep felt useless."

The sheriff gave a tired nod, "I get it, I came back close to four but I need to be at the station soon. And you should get ready to come along. I can leave after and we could all get lunch."

Natalie's eyes lighted up, "That's a great idea love! We can bring along your friends. It might help."

"Nope.", "Not a good idea." came from both of the teens.

Stiles was the one who answered, "Scott and Allison broke up last night. It was kind of messy, he was on denial last I heard."

"And I broke up with Jackson" said Lydia shyly.

"Oh, sweetheart!" Natalie looked sad for the redhead.

"Don't worry mom, it's for the best."

"I have an idea! Let's go shopping! We'll leave dad here for him to sleep some more hours and all of us will hit the mall!" Smiled Natalie at her daughter.

Lydia perked at that and turned to look at Stiles, who somehow understood the look, "No Lydia! No way in hell!"

"Please Stiles! Last time was a disaster but this one it's  _it_! Besides, I just broke it off with Jackson and I don't think I can't deal with Allison right now. I don't think I can deal with idiots, period, so I'll probably end up hanging out with you and Scott at school. And I love you but I can't let you wear your clothes if that's how things will be." Then an idea came, "y'know, making you hot would be a kick in Jax's balls"

A snort came from Derek and Noah, Natalie's eyes were wide but her face still show some amusement. Stiles gave his sister a look, "Sold."

Natalie's eyes light up. "That's wonderful. And we'll take Derek too. He'll need a new shirt after last night. And we can't let everyone to actually believe he's a hermit."

Everyone in the table laughed which got Derek to actually smile. It had been years since he had had a breakfast to feel like this to him. So warm, so merry, so much like a family.

"That's gonna be hard Nat." Commented Stiles with a smirk, "I've never seen him in anything that's not a henley, usually black, grey, dark blue and green. I think it complements the eyebrows of doom though." That got him some snorts and a flick from Derek.

"What about red? It would suit you." That got her a reaction. Lydia's eyes widen, Derek went serious and Stiles started coughing.

Both the sheriff and his wife looked at each other but didn't say anything. The woman finally spoke again, "Okay all of you, go get ready! I'll take care of the dishes."

An hour later they were all at the station. They didn't come across anyone but were informed that Allison had come earlier and neither Jackson nor Scott had come yet.

It took almost two hours for everything to be ready. Stiles, Derek and Lydia had rehearsed the story at home and luckily everything went without a hitch; they didn't had too much time to talk to one another so they were all glad for that.

After the station the group went to the Stilinski's favorite diner; they were all seated and with their orders on when Derek looked around and with a smile commented, "I used to love this place. It was my mom's favorite."

"Of course it was!" Answered Natalie. "I remember this was the place where could always find Talia and Claude." The woman laughed and added in a fake whispered, "They were the ones that made it popular."

The three young ones looked back at her with confusion and alert. "What do you mean?" Asked the hazel eyed man.

"This was their favorite place in town. Well, the only place they were ever seen. They were pretty close those two. Your mothers were one of those friendships everyone wishes for."

"They were?" Stiles turned to his father for confirmation and the man gave a semi sad nod. "I didn't know."

Thinking over and looking at her husband as in approval she began, "It's funny how the story goes. I was in the same class as Claudia since forever, much like Stiles and Lydia, Talia was some years older and quite popular for being middle school. Some girls didn't like Talia and they tried to get into some sort of fight. Your mother was such a strong force, Derek, she never allowed herself to loose composure. That day looked like a close one, but then Claudia came in, she was barely 7 and defended Talia. I never knew how but those girls just left and no one never said anything bad about Talia if Claudia was close enough to hear. After that day they were like sisters." Natalie paused while their food was being set and after it kept going. "I remembered them during our pregnancies, they walked around town, both witn their baby bumps," Natalie looked over to the wolf. "I can't believe you don't remember. You were always with them! You must have been 5 at the time. I remember you even after that. You were so caring of the babies. I distinctly remember a play date on someone's birthday and how you and your sister entertain them, kept talking about being the big kids, it was adorable." Laughed Natalie.

Everyone but the sheriff looked incredibly surprised, Stiles looked at his dad and the man gave him the same watery smile he always had when Claudia was named. Derek finally got himself together and spoke, "I didn't remember. "

"You were probably too young darling, don't worry."

The luch went on. Small talk about anything and everything which didn't really meant much given how Stiles was going over the tale over and over; Derek kept realizing the why too many of his answers just to create more and Lydia focused on the other two.

When it was over the sheriff left home in the cruiser and the other four left to the mall. They were on Natalie's car -it was technically Lydia's but she had always prefer the jeep to the car her father had gifted her- and they got to the mall in no time. They were just walking into Macy's as Stiles began to apologies to Derek in a quiet voice.

"Why are you apologizing for?"

The teen looked in front of them, his stepmother had her arms around Lydia as in reassurance. This was their thing, anytime Lydia went through a hard time they would come to the mall and shop their sorrows away. "You've never shop with them, I swearI love them but the get to be too much at times."

Derek laughed and gave Stiles a smile, "I had sisters Stiles and back in New York Laure and I were basically adopted by our neighbors after we left the pack that took us in after the fire. It was a father and his daughter, who was like a sister to Laure in some ways; then it was Rick's mother and when that woman said she needed muscles to carry bags, I wouldn't be able to say no. Mothers are the Alphas in every family. Really, I'm ready."

Stiles looked him over with his eyebrow raise. "The Martin-Stilinki girls will be your end."

Soon enough Lydia and Natalie were going through the whole store. It was therapeutic they said. Stiles and Derek could only nod and carry the clothe thrown their way.

"Oh Lydia! Look at this dress" the sheriff's wife was holding an strapless silver dress with a tulled skirt, the girl looked it over and shot her mother a smile, just for it to fall. Derek smelled the sour scent and elbowed Stiles.

Her mother and brother were beside Lydia soon enough, Derek not far behind. The strawberry blonde explained, "I was supposed to shop the winter formal dress with Allison. And my date was Jackson. This is useless."

"Hey! No! You're Lydia 'freaking' Martin! You have a brilliant mind, the strength of an army and you do not need a boy! You will have the world in the palm of your hand soon enough. Just showed those high school kids you're an strong woman who doesn't need anyone to be great!"

Lydia hugged Stiles and a smile overcome Natalie's face. "Okay kids, I need to leave. I don't really want to but I have a parent's meeting about last night and I would like too get that over with." She handed Lydia the car keys, "Noah is picking me up so don't mind me." She kissed her daughter and stepson in the cheek and squeezed Derek's arm with a smile.

After the woman was out of sight Lydia grabbed both boy's hands and took them to the male section. Without a word took around three pair of jeans, 6 fitted flannel shirts, 2 polo shirts a bright red henley, plus some plain t-shirst with gave all the clothe to Stiles but one of the dark red t-shirts which went to Derek. Quickly shooting them to the changing rooms without words.

The first to come out was Derek with the v-neck tshirst wich had 3/4 sleeves that showed off the wolf's muscles. Lydia gave her approval just as Stiles came out wearing a pair of dark skinny jeans that looked painted on the boy. He had one of the plaid shirts, it was blue and somehow it just fit, a change from his usual, those were at least two size bigger and always came with a graphic tshirt underneath. He looked at Lydia with a frown.

But soon his eyes were on Derek and the frown fell to be replaced with hungry eyes and a biting lip. Derek smelled his mate's arousal. And with every fiber in his body he held himself back.

"So Stiles, what do you think of Derek's shirt?" Her smirk grew. "Mom was right about the red." Stiles kept looking with wide eyes and a nod. Derek's shirt gave a small view of his chest showing a little of his chest hair and suddenly Stiles had the need to rub himself in to the man.

Lydia rolled her eyes at the two and turned to the beta. "And what do you think?"

Derek didn't look away from his mate and said, "Amazing."

Stiles blushed, "The whole thing is a bit tight." 'But if I get this reaction every time is worth it' added the boy in his head.

"Okay, end with all that clothe. The other two shirts are not that tight so you might use something under them but the jeans stay, and the ones I got you the last time are coming out." The show of Stiles' clothe kept going and Derek knew this was some kind of torture from the universe.

"You need to tell him about the bond." Spoke the redhead while they waited for Stiles. Derek looked at her in surprised. He knew Lydia was smart and that she had focused on the books they had found. If she knew about mates it wouldhave been just a matter of time.

"I can't do that to him."

"I've everything you've said about that and it's a lot of bullshit. He's already falling and if you keep it much longer it'll be messy. Besides, last night he kept insisting you were dead. I read how somtimes mates can feel each other before bonding themselves. He did it, he doesn't understand but he will find out."

Derek looked at the girl and as Stiles came out of the changing room and got closer Derek whispered, "Soon."

* * *

It was Saturday afternoon and Derek had come from another fruitless night tracking the Alpha with Scott. Lydia and Stiles kept researching for a way to find answers to their psycho-wolf problem. Lydia insisted on that if the murders were revenge the victims would need to have something in common.

They had decided they all needed the afternoon off. And Derek coaxed them into buying ice cream for all of them. Scott still not trusting of Derek and heartbroken over Allison skipped on the outing.

They were on the patio of the ice cream parlor when Derek went stiff. Stiles felt it and turning to the man he put a hand on the wolf's shoulder. He tried to give a questioning look but the wolf wouldn't look at his way and Stiles saw how the beautiful green eyes bled with a light tinted blue. Looking back at Lydia he saw her alarmed eyes staring behind him but decided not to look that way.

That's when he heard it, "Well well well, look at this."

In a second Kate Argent was in front of them with Allison by her side. The brunette and Lydia had made up somehow but his sister had made it clear that she didn't approve Allison attitude during and after Wednesday night.

The older woman kept talking, "Derek Hale. I haven't seen you in a long time. Looked at how grownup you are." The predatory look she gave made Stiles' blood boiled.

Allison perked at that, "You know each other?"

"Of course we do! When I lived here I trained the swimming team, Derek was the basketball star back then. We knew each other, closely."

Stiles saw lust and viciousness on the huntress' eyes and without a thought took Derek's hand.

Luckily Lydia finally spoke, "As nice as memory lane seems to be for old people I'm sorry to say we must leave soon. Our parents are waiting for us. Our father, the sheriff worries if we're not at home in time."

Kate shot the redhead a hard look which soon turned in a fake smile. "Oh, we'll leave you to it. And Derek, hope to see you soon cutie." The blonde winked and left, followed closed behind by Allison shooting confused looks to her aunt and the group behind her.

Stiles got himself back together and spoke urgently, "Lets get out of here." As they walked away he realized he hadn't drop Derek's hand. And he wouldn't now.

* * *

"What the hell was that?"

They were back in the basement.

The drive back to the Stilinki residence had been quiet. The house had been empty. They had gone down to the basement to find Prada sleeping in the couch, Lydia took the dog into her arms as if holding the creature would calm her down. She was the one to asked the question.

"My history with Kate Argent it's a complicated one."

"You told me and Scott you were sure that the Argents were behind the fire because they were the only ones who knew about you family. But there's more isn't it?"

Derek's tighten his jaw and sat on the couch far from Lydia as if he were trying to shield himself from them. But the redhead wouldn't have that. She left Prada on the floor and went to sit beside Derek. She grabbed his hands.

"She seduced you, you were a teenager and a beautiful woman showed interest in you, you let her into your life and she betrayed you."

"The fire was my fault."

"What? How can you think that? You were a kid! And she took advantage! She's a psychotic bitch, that was not your fault! You're a good person Sourwolf. You trusted someone and were betrayed. The only ones at fault are Kate Argent and her pathetic minions."Stiles' rant, as he kneeled in front of Derek, gave Lydia an idea. Without a word she left them and ran upstairs.

Stiles looked back at Derek and the older man had sorrowful eyes like was expecting something wrong to happen. And like a lightning bolt the spaz was hit by a memory. Tears fogged his eyes and he finally spoke again. "You are not her, Derek."

"You don't get it. What-"

"That was not your fault then, and this is not the same thing. We're not the same. You're good Derek. Rough around the edges, looks of a serial killer and the most intimidating eyebrows; and yet, you have a good soul, you helped a pair of stupid teens even though you didn't have to, you're a man who would do anything to save others, you're the man I'm falling for. You're not her and you deserve happiness so let yourself have that."

Green kaleidoscopes looked into honey brown. And they were kissing. It was gentle and unsure. Slow and sweet. Loving and warm. Just like coming home. Both of them knew it then, they would never be able to go back from it.

They pulled apart from each other and Stiles gave the wolf a dopey smile. Derek rested their heads together, "I'll do this right. After the Alpha, I'll asked permission to your parents, I'll court you like I'm supposed to, I'll make this work."

Stiles smiled, "Good! But just so you know, I won't stop kissing you." Derek laughed at his mate and gave him a peck just as Lydia went down the stairs.

The girl raised an eyebrow and with amusement she rolled her eyes. "Okay lovebirds, I think I figured something out. We've been working on the idea that the Alpha wants revenge, especially since Kate got to town, I went to check on some of Noah's files and found out that Garrison Myers was the insurance investigator who ruled the fire as accidental, they guy from the video store had a criminal record including arson. How much do you want to bet that after the fire they got a large amount of money. We have to make sure Dad knows this!"

"First, I'm proud of you sis, you snoop through Dad's stuff, you're definitely my sister; second, it won't work, dad might believe it but you know how it goes; one is an incident, two is a coincidence and three is a pattern. None of this is enough yet, we need something solid."

"Just giving an idea partypopper, which takes me to the identity of the Alpha. We've been looking for someone who got out of the fire and wants revenge, but we've forgotten the most obvious option here! If that person had gotten out of the fire then, why act now? Something must have been stopping them. Maybe he just needed time for healing, said, a good percentage of his body being burned." Both men were following her path of thoughts and understood where she was headed.

"Lydia, Peter's been unresponsive for years!"

"Are you sure? You would never considered a possibility that he's been faking, at least for a while?"

Derek couldn't help but to agreed with the girl. If someone could pull that off it would be Peter.

Stiles finally spoke, "Guys, let's not get ahead of ourselves, we already said we were going to ask Danny for help on Scott's message. That's our only lead. We'll track that and after whatever it might say we'll go for Peter. We can't go head first into it." The spaz took a look at the wolf and his sister, "We'll figure it out guys, trust me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! Hope you like it! Leave your thoughts! 


	9. Lunatic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, hey! First I want to apologize for taking this long to update, at first it was term tests, the my computer died and I lost a lot of what I had written, then it was finals and so on... I'm actually glad there's people actually reading what I write so I want to say it means the world to me...
> 
> On that note I want to add something, someone said to me that the use of spaz to describe Stiles it's wrong... If someone felt bad with that I apologize, I have ADHD and I've been called the equivalent of of said word in Spanish many times, early on I realized that the words have just the power you give them and that if you have enough self-esteem you'll be able to takes those words and wear them with pride just to annoy the crap out of those who try to hurt you...
> 
> I can't promise an update soon but I'll try my best...
> 
> With that I leave you to it...

**Lunatic**

  
"Okay! This is it for me! I'll wing it!" Stiles exclaimed, dropping the Econ book on the floor to be left abandoned. Lydia and Stiles were both sitting on the fluffy turquoise carpet of the basement with several books spread out in front of them. While the Strawberry blonde kept going through the Hale bestiary and some other books on different kinds of creatures, her brother studied for the exams of the week.   
"You're so dramatic," said the redhead rolling her eyes at her brother's antics.  
"I just think is unfair that I have to go through this crap and you get to read the fun stuff. I found a book on runes and their magical capabilities that I really want to read. Besides it's in Classical Latin so I can actually read it."  
The girl turned to him and asked, "What about the diaries?"  
Stiles went quiet and almost five minutes had passed before he said, "I can read those. The newer entries are mostly in English and Polish, there are some in French, German and Russian but it's not too hard to catch the general idea; and all throughout the years there's a lot of Latin and Greek, even what I think it's Macedonian. But this is the weirdest part, the oldest diaries and entries aren't just on Latin and Greek as we thought, there's Hebrew, something that's definitely Slavic and even Farsi!" Stiles huffed as he thought about it. "Apparently my mother's family have a lot of history."  
"That's insane! Wait, what do you mean?"  
"At the beginning they were a community, full of supernatural creatures or humans 'touched' by the supernatural but still humans in a way. One of the first books," he pointed to a big tome by the red sofa in the center of the room, "has registers of all of those in that village; they came from everywhere in Europe. And it's not just that Lydia, some of them told stories and the people who wrote the books wrote them from their memories."  
Lydia thought it over, "You mean like with the Odissey and the Iliad? After going from mouth to mouth it was just written or something?"  
"In a way, there was an invasion, hunters of all kinds slaughtered a big number of the ones who lived there. A small group survived and they decided that their story had to be told. It went like that for years and always moving around. There's at least a century worth of stories in there. Especially of those who escaped the massacre, they are more useful at least. Hand on situations and the like.  
"They speak about creatures they encountered, potions to heal and kill, spells of all kinds. They talk about other magical users and creatures too. Like druids or elementals, they wrote about the old religion; mentioned Seers and Prophets. Did you know that Warlocks and Sorceress are the powerful and sometimes evil versión of Wizards and Witches? I didn't! They mentioned werewolves and others shifters; from time to time vampires; when they got to the States they were attacked by a Wendigo who killed their oldest members, a kitsune. I mean what the hell is all of this?"  
"You're overwhelmed, it's a lot to take in about the past."  
"It's not just that." Whispered Stiles, "I have no idea of who is all thes people to me ot what my mother was; what I could be. And that's if I'm anything at all." Lydia moved from her spot against a purple armchair they usually kept on a side and sat by her brother hugging him. "I just-, how am I supposed to know who I am if I have no idea where I come from?"  
Lydia looked sharply at him, "Stop right there, you're you, Stiles! You don't know where you came from? Well, that doesn't matter. You are Stiles Stilinski. Some things will change but even then, you will always be Stiles."  
The boy gave an smile and hugged back. That's how Derek found them. "Everything okay?"  
His mate turned to him as he squezzed the redhead and stood up, "It will be. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to do my duty and get my heart-broken friend waisted."   
He was out of the door before the other two in the room could stop it. "How long until they realize Scott can't get drunk?" Asked Lydia back on her original place.  
Derek flopped himself near Stiles' spot close to the bookcase where the spaz' scent still lingered), "Probably long." They both laughed and kept going through the books and notes.

* * *

 

It was close to 3am when Derek heard the jeep again. He went out of the house just to find an struggling Scott holding Stiles up. How was this kid a werewolf?  
"What happened?"  
"We were drinking, it didn't do much to me but it did to Stiles. I just want to get him to bed before he says or does anything stupid."  
Derek snorted, "Leave him to me and go home Scott. I'll take care of him."  
The beta looked unsure but finally passed the other teen over to Derek. "Just ignore what he says. He talks."  
"That's not new."  
Scott made an awkward face but soon enough left. Derek turned to his mate who seemed to be halfway between passed out and attempting to stay awake. "Why don't we take you to bed, you lightweight?"  
Stiles smiled, "I like the way you think Sourwolf, maybe I'll get to have my wicked way with you." His voice was sluggish and the wolf was sure the teen wouldn't remember anything in the morning.  
"You'll fall asleep before you start whatever is in your mind."  
They were finally at Stiles' room, Derek walked him toward the bed but Stiles stopped him hugging his body to Derek's and started whispering husky words in his ear, "I've had so many fantasies about it, I'm a virgin Der, and all I want is for you to ruin me for anyone else. I want you so much Sourwolf. I was just saying so to Scott, you're the one for me. No more fishes in the sea. You're mine, I'm yours." The boy kissed the wolf's neck and instantly fell asleep in the beta's arms.   
It took all his self control to put the boy down and tuck him in. Derek was cursed.

* * *

  
The bell rang as two girls were walking down the hall, "It's just weird. Everybody's talking about what happened the other night, and nobody knows it was us."  
The strawberry blonde huffed sarcastically, "Thank you for the protection of minors."   
The brunette ignored the comment, "Lydia, do you think I made the wrong decision?"  
Her friend looked her over, "About that jacket with that dress?" Lydia faked a thinking face and swiftly scoffed, "Absolutely."  
Allison rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean."  
Lydia looked at her friend, "Honestly, I think I've stated my mind already. Breaking up might be right, but your reasons are not. He tried to protect us Allison. I'm not telling you what to do, but I am telling you not to be so hard and quick to judge; it's unbecoming."

* * *

  
"Right, now, you can't tell your father about this, because he'll kill me."  
"Okay."  
"Okay."  
"Well, what's our helpless victim's name?"   
"Mr. Bear."  
"You named your teddy bear Mr. Bear? That's, like, the worst teddy bear name in the world." Both aunt and niece laughed together.

"I was five years old." Said Allison defensively.   
"All right, well, just shoot your unimaginatively named bear and put it out of its misery." The brunette shot the taser but as soon as it happened her face took on a horrified look. Without noticing the blonde woman laughed, "See, now, that's what I'm talking about. See, if you would have had that the other night, you would have just-" then Kate turned to her niece, "Whoa, wait a minute. I thought you wanted to learn how to do this, sweetie."  
Allison sat in the bed with tears in her eyes, "I just don't know what happened."  
Kate held the brunette, "With Scott? Oh. Listen, my gorgeous, young niece, you're gonna break hearts left and right, okay? And he was lucky to have gotten the tiny, little taste of Allison Argent's world that he got."  
"But it just It felt so right with him." She insisted, "And then he just started acting so strange, and now I don't know what to believe."  
"Well, sweetie, he's a guy. You can't believe anything."  
"It's just the whole thing the other night and Scott saying he didn't know anything, and then Derek getting hurt-"  
That caught the huntress attention, "Wait, what do mean with Derek? He was there? I thought he was just friends with the sheriff's kids."  
Allison didn't really understand her aunt but still answered, "From what I know Derek, Stiles and Scott were meeting about something at the school, he was hurt and up to the moment we found him we thought he was dead. Stiles was heart-broken."   
"Wait. What do you mean by that?"  
Allison shrugged, "I'm not sure. For what I know Derek and Stiles met while trying to figure out the death of Derek's sister and if Lydia is right they'll be together soon enough if they aren't already. After the other night Stiles and Lydia's parents took Derek in or something."  
"Okay sweetie, now tell me everything you know about all of this."

* * *

  
Stiles ran into the house excitedly. He found Derek and Natalie laughing and cooking while the sheriff tried to sneak some bites, he was taken back by the picture and an even bigger smile adorned his face. Then yelled, "Guys! I'm in first line for tomorrow's game!"  
The other three turned to him and soon enough everyone was celebrating the news and Stiles found himself to be actually happy.  
After dinner Stiles and Derek offered to do the dishes and soon made an excuse to go to Scott's house.  
In the car the beta looked over to Stiles, "What's bothering you?"  
The spaz refused to look at the wolf whe he finally spoke, "I know it's the full moon but he's out of his mind Derek. He's not really himself."  
"It's his second full moon Stiles, he might have an anchor but with the way things are with Allison I doubt it's working. Besides, with the full moon it's never easy."  
"But you're okay."  
"I'm managing Stiles but I'm still a wolf."   
They got out of the car and went into the house, Derek didn't bother to ask about how Stiles had a key to Scott's. It seemd to be a Stiles thing he guessed.   
As Stiles closed the door they both heard a woman's voice talking, "Scott?" Soon a said woman came into view and Derek assumed that she was Scott's mother, they looked alike at least.   
His mate smiled and answered, "Stiles." A second later he added, "and Derek."  
The nurse didn't acknowledged the boy and looked at his hand, "Key!"  
"Yeah.I had one made, so.," they way Stiles said those words drew a smile on Derek's face. The spaz states things of that sort as the most normal things on the world and his face never cracked. It was impressive.  
"That doesn't surprise me. It scares me, but it doesn't surprise me." It was taking a lot of his self control not to laugh at the exchange.  
Stiles dropped the bag he was carrying and Melissa looked at it, "What is that?"  
"Uh, school project." Lied Stiles.  
"Hmm, and that's why Mr. Hale is here."  
Stiles waved his hand as if it was nothing, "He's been following around like a guard dog but don't worry Mrs. M he's a big puppy." At the words Derek wanted to strangle the spaz.  
Melissa turned to her son's best friend, "Stiles, he's okay, right?"  
"Who? Scott?" The teen scoffed, "Yeah. Totally."  
The nurse's face went sad, "He just doesn't talk to me that much anymore, not like he used to."  
"Well, he's had a bit of a rough week." And Derek could feel how bad his mate felt about having to lie to the woman.  
"Yeah, yeah, I get it"  
"Yeah."  
"Um, okay. Be careful tonight."  
"You, too." Was the answer of both Derek amd Stiles.  
"Full moon." Stated Melissa   
Derek's blood ran cold and the spaz asked freaked out, "What?"  
"There's a full moon tonight. You should see how the ER gets. Brings out all the nut jobs." Scott's mom laughed at those words.  
"Yeah."  
"Oh. Right."  
"You know, it's actually where they came up with the word 'Lunatic.'" Melissa patted them on their shoulders and left.

* * *

  
The night had started horribly, Derek didn't know to what extent Scott's attitude had bothered Stiles during the day and when Stiles went on and on about how Scott shouldn't have kissed Lydia, of how she was still hurt and not in her right mind, things got ugly between the two, and Derek took his mate out of the room and into the hall. Not that it had helped cause later the teen wolf started begging and that hurt Stiles even more.   
Derek closed the door and pulled the spaz into his arms, which was not a good idea, the scent of the boy made his control falter and Stiles felt as his claws extended on his back. Instead of scarring him it made him take the wolf's face in his hands in a caress as he watched the wolf's eyes turn to electric blue. Derek wanted to kiss his mate's lips and just take everything.   
That's when he heard it, Scott getting out of his cuffs and leaving through the window. They open the door to find blood on the floor and broken handcuffs, Derek turned to Stiles, with a nod and a simple, "Go." The born-wolf went after the other teen. Yeah, he should have known, the night was meant to suck.

* * *

  
Chris and Kate were parked by the side of the road looking toward the last crime scene the Alpha had left. Chris couldn't understand why the Alpha was after all those people, it didn't made sense to him; but to Kate, she knew exactly what was happening.   
"That one's Stiles?" Questioned Chris. He had met the boy once but at the distance he couldn't be so sure.  
Kate nodded, "Another friend of Allison's."  
Chris turned to his sister, "Are you gonna tell me about that talk you had with her?"   
The blonde looked at him but before answering she looked at the Stilinski men. "You tell me something first. That night you came across those two Betas, one of them was smaller, right?" The hunter hummed in affirmation. "Well, was he just smaller? Or could he have been younger, too?"  
Both Argents focus on the scene in front of them. That was when the huntress got an idea, "Allison told me Derek Hale is staying at the sheriff's, apparently he's friends with his kids but Allison also said he had a thing with the boy." She pointed at Stiles once again.   
Chris frowned, "We'll have to look into that."

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you enjoyed this!  
> And thanks to my Beta, CosmicStarlight21!


End file.
